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EARNEST  HOURS. 


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WILLIAM  S.  PLUMER,  D.  D,  LL.  D, 

PROFESSOR    OF    DIDACTIC    AND    POLEMIC    THEOLOGY    IN     Till 

THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY    AT    COLUMBIA, 

SOUTH    CAROLINA. 


RICHMOND: 

PRESBYTERIAN  COMMITTEE  OF   PUBLICATION. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year    18C9,  hy 

CHARLES    GENNET 

in  trust, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the   District  Court  for  the  District  of 
Virginia. 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

Man  a  Proof  of  the  Truths  of  Natural  Religion..       7 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Bible  is  the  "Word  of  God 25 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Scripture  is  Unchanging  and  Unfailing 36 

CHAPTER  IY. 
God's   Nature  and  "Ways  are  Unsearchable . 

CHAPTER  Y. 
Practical  Remarks  on  Chapter  it. 61 

CHAPTER  yi. 
Human   Accountability 82 

CHAPTER  yiL 
Deductions  from  Chapter  vi. 91 

CHAPTER  yill. 
The  Responsibilities  of  Educated  Men.....,...,.,,  100 

CHAPTER    XI. 
All  Men  are  Sinners....... 114 

(3) 


<1  CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  X. 
SlN   IS    llORRIELE 127 

CHAPTER    XT. 
Tn."  Saint  excels  the  Sinner 140 

CHAPTER  XIL 
Thoughts  on  Noah,  his  Times,  his  Faith  and  his  Ark.  151 

CIIAPTFR    XIIE 
The  Life  and  Character  cf  the  Apostle  Peter....  1G9 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Lessons  from  the  Life  and  Fall  of  Peter 181 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Nine  Questions  about  Pleasing 105 

-CHAPTER  XVI. 
How  God's  Pecple  may  make  Great  Attainments...  213 

CHAPTE  I   XVII. 
The  Privileges  of  Believers 128 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 
Good  Works,  *heirBa3is  anj  their  Nature 243 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Rites    vain    compared    with  hearty  Piety    towards 

God  and  genuine  Kindness  towards   Man 256 

CHAPTER   XX. 
;  ;.  TV   in    Religion .208 


CONTENTS.  5 


TAGE. 

CHAPTER   XXI. 


The  Falls  of  good    Men 280 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
Self-deception.     It  is  easy.     There  is  much  of  it.  .   292 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Self-deception    continued.     The  Signs    of    it.     The 

Danger  of  it 299 

I                 CHAPTER  XXI Vr. 
Modern  Missions 309 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
The  PtiGHT  Temper  for  a  Student  of  the  Bible....  317 


EARNEST   HOURS 


CHAPTER   I. 

MAN  A  PROOF  OF  THE  TRUTHS  OF  NATURAL  RELIGION. 

In  both  the  body  and  soul  of  man  are  easily 
discovered  many  surprising  powers.  In  the  human 
constitution  is  something  exceedingly  nice,  curious 
and  delicate.  In  a  heathful  state,  both  mind  and 
body  are  admirable ;  in  a  morbid  state,  they  bring 
incalculable  misery. 

Let  us  look  at  mail's  physical  constitution.  At 
birth  the  human  body  is  small,  commonly  weigh- 
ing from  eight  to  fifteen  pounds,  and  measuring 
from  thirteen  to  twenty-one  inches.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly feeble,  and  continues  dependent  on  parental 
care  much  longer  than  any  other  creature.  For 
sometime  it  can  neither  see,  nor  hear,  nor  taste,  nor 
smell,  nor  feel  with  any  accuracy  of  discrimination, 
its  senses  being  quite  untutored.  At  the  age  of 
about  six  weeks  it  begins  to  notice  the  face  of  its 
nurse  or  mother,  and  gives  its  first  smiles.  Feeble 
as  this  little  creature  is,  its  powers  of  endurance  are, 
in  one  respect,  wonderful.  The  rapid  circulation  of 
its  blood  renders  it  far  less  susceptible  of  death  from 

O) 


8  MAN   A    PROOF    OF    THE 

cold  than  adults  are.  When  fifteen  or  twenty 
months  old,  it  begins  to  utter  articulate  sounds. 
From  fourteen  to  twenty-three  years  of  age  it  reaches 
its  full  stature ;  and  from  thirty  to  fifty  it  has  its 
greatest  vigor  and  power  of  enduring  exertion. 
After  that  decay  commences,  and  at  the  end  of 
twenty  or  thirty  years  the  body  returns  to  its  native 
dust. 

These  remarks  relate  to  those  who  live  to  old  age ; 
but  of  six  or  seven  children  born,  not  more  than 
one  lives  seventy  years  ;  not  one  in  twenty-five  lives 
eighty  years;  not  one  in  seventy  lives  eighty-five 
years;  not  one  in  two  hundred  lives  ninety  years; 
not  one  in  seven  hundred  lives  ninety-five  years; 
and  not  one  in  eight  thousand  completes  a  cen- 
tury. One  fourth  of  all  who  are  born  die  before 
they  are  five  years  old ;  one  third  before  they  are 
ten  ;  one  half  before  they  are  thirty-five  ;  two  thirds 
before  they  are  fifty-two  ;  and  three-fourths  before 
they  are  sixty-one. 

For  more  than  two  thousand  years  after  man's 
creation,  the  ordinary  length  of  human  life  ranged 
above  nine  hundred  years.  After  the  flood  it  was 
much  shortened  ;  yet  Shem  lived  five  hundred,  and 
Terah  two  hundred  years.  In  the  days  of  Moses 
seventy  or  eighty  marked  the  maximum.  Since  that 
time  there  has  been  no  general  variation,  though 
there  have  been,  and  still  are,  astonishing  excep- 
Thomas  Parr  reached  one  hundred  and  rit'ty- 
two  years;  Henry  Jenkins,  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine;  and  Louisa  Truxo,  who  died  in  1780,  was 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  old,    It  is  worthy 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  9 

of  note  that  the  infant  of  a  day  and  a  man  of  sixty- 
six  years  have  an  equal  prospect  of  life  for  one 
year. 

As  males  arc  more  exposed  to  casualties  than 
females,  there  are  born  into  the  world  about  one 
hundred  and  two  males  for  every  hundred  females  ; 
and  this  proportion  is  observable  the  world  over,  if 
we  take  as  many  as  a  million  of  people  into  the 
estimate. 

The  human  body  consists  of  solid  and  fluid  sub- 
stances, variously  constituted,  and  constantly  acting 
on  each  other.  According  to  some  there  are  nine- 
teen, and  all  agree  there  are  seventeen  simple  consti- 
tuents composing  the  human  body.  These  are  oxy- 
gen, hydrogen,  carbon,  nitrogen,  phosphorus,  sul- 
phur, chlorine,  fluorine,  potassium,  sodium,  calcium, 
magnesium,  silicium,  aluminum,  iron,  manganese, 
titanium,  (and  some  add)  arsenic  and  copper.  Some 
of  these  are  present  in  a  pure  state ;  but  most  of 
them  in  composition  with  other  elements.  These 
constitute  our  wonderful  bodies  of  skin,  bones,  mus- 
cles, nerves,  blood,  tendons,  etc. 

The  human  skin  consists  of  three  layers  of  mem- 
brane. The  outermost,  which,  by  heat  or  friction, 
may  be  raised  into  blisters,  is  "a  thin,  continuous 
and  insensible  membrane,  has  no  perceptible  blood 
vessels  or  nerves,  and  consequently  neither  bleeds, 
nor  feels  pain  when  cut  or  abraded."  It  both 
absorbs  and  exhales  other  substances  ;  and  yet  if  it 
has  pores,  they  cannot  be  discerned,  even  with  the 
aid  of  the  best  glasses.  Its  uses  are  to  prevent  fric- 
tion of  the  inner  layer,  to  moderate  the  impression 


10  MAN   A   PROOF    OF    THE 

made  by  external  objects  on  the  delicate  nerves,  to 
preserve  the  undercoats  of  skin  in  a  moist,  flexible 
state,  and  to  protect  the  whole  system  from  sudden 
or  extreme  attacks  of  cold,  heat  or  humidity.  Even 
at  birth  this  membrane  is  much  thicker  on  the  palms 
of  the  hands  and  the  soles  of  the  feet  than  else- 
where, because  they  will  be  much  more  exposed  to 
friction.  Use  gives  it  still  greater  thickness  and 
toughness.  The  nails  properly  belong  to  this  layer 
of  the  skin,  and  like  it  are  insensible,  having  neither 
blood  nor  nerves. 

Next  to  this  scarf  skin  is  another  coat,  which  con- 
tains the  colouring  matter  of  the  skin.  In  most 
races  of  men  it  is  very  thin,  but  in  the  African  it  is 
much  thicker.  It  permits  other  substances  to  pass 
through  it,  and  protects  the  nerves  and  blood  ves- 
sels which  lie  under  it.  This  is  the  coat  of  skin, 
which  gives  such  beauty  to  the  colour  of  many  fishes 
and  other  animals. 

The  true  skin  lies  next,  and  is  both  thick  and 
heavy.  It  is  very  delicate  in  its  structure,  and  is 
full  of  life  and  sensibility.  It  binds  and  protects  the 
interior  part  of  the  body,  and  is  itself  the  instrument 
of  perspiration,  both  sensible  and  insensible. 

It  is  the  seat  of  many  nerves,  and  of  course 
of  sensation.  It  is  full  of  blood  vessels,  so  that 
wherever  wounded,  blood  appears.  Nor  can  a 
needle  penetrate  it  without  wounding  one  or  more 
nerves.  Its  chief  uses  are  to  throw  off  waste  mat- 
ter from  the  body,  to  regulate  the  heat  of  the  sys- 
tem, to  act  as  an  absorbent,  and  to  be  the  seat  of 
sensation.  Its  derangement  produces  the  most  serious 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  11 

consequences  ;  not  only  frightful  diseases  and  excru- 
ciating pains,  but  death  itself. 

The  frame  covered  by  this  skin  is  composed  of 
two  hundred  and  forty-six  (some  say  two  hundred  and 
forty-eight)  bones,  varying  exceedingly  in  size,  shape 
and  use,  but  admirably  adapted  to  the  ends  for  which 
they  were  manifestly  designed.  Some  of  these  bones 
are  hollow  and  some  solid.  Some  are  long  and 
round,  some  are  flat,  and  some  short  and  thick.  At 
birth  all  of  them  are  comparatively  soft  and  spongy, 
but  in  time  most  of  them  become  hard,  and  some 
of  them  very  much  so.  Some  of  them  act  as  levers, 
as  in  the  arm ;  some  are  combined  into  arches  of 
great  strength,  as  in  the  instep  ;  some  serve  as  braces, 
supports  and  girders  to  the  frame  ;  some  protect  the 
three  great  cavities  of  the  body  ;  and  all  of  them 
united  complete  the  frame.  The  bones  are  essential 
to  motion.  Eo  less  than  the  muscles  they  have  life, 
and  yet  they  are  insensible  to  pain,  unless  they  are 
fractured,  or  their  texture  is  destroyed. 

Between  the  skin  and  the  bones  chiefly  lie  the 
muscles,  which  are  in  number  over  four  hundred ; 
some  of  them  being  large,  and  in  a  full  grown  man 
weighing  several  pounds,  and  others  being  very 
small,  not  weighing  more  than  a  grain.  All  of 
these  muscles  are  capable  of  being  considerably 
enlarged  and  strengthened  by  use.  They  i  onsist  of 
flesh,  which,  when  connected  with  bone,  is  held  fast 
by  fibres  gathered  in  cartilage  around  the  end  of  the 
bone.  Their  chief  use  is  to  support  the  frame,  and 
to  secure  the  motion  of  the  parts  and  of  the  whole. 
They  are  the  power  which  works  every  lever  of  the 


12  MAN    A    PROOF    OF     THE 

body.  All  muscles  are  capable  of  being  contracted 
until  they  become  rigid,  and  of  being  relaxed  again, 
so  as  to  be  at  perfect  rest.  The  muscles  are  also  of 
great  use  in  circulating  the  blood,  especially  the 
blood  of  the  veins.  This  they  do  very  effectually, 
when  we  take  sufficient  exercise. 

Closely  connected  with  the  muscles,  and  inter- 
woven with  them,  are  the  nerves,  of  which  there  are 
nine  pairs,  one  for  the  nose,  one  for  the  eyes,  one 
for  the  ears,  one  for  the  tongue,  one  for  digestion, 
&c.  Each  pair  is  wholly  useless  for  any  other  pur- 
pose, than  that  for  which  it  is  designed.  The  nerves 
of  vision  are  not  adapted  to  hearing.  The  nerves  of 
the  ear  give  no  information  to  the  taste  or  smell. 
This  is  well.  Confusion  is  avoided,  and  we  can 
sometimes  bring  two,  three  or  more  senses,  as  so 
many  distinct  witnesses  to  give  us  information  of  the 
state  and  nature  of  surrounding  objects.  Thus  we 
may  use  all  our  .senses  to  examine  a  rose.  Sight 
gives  us  its  hue,  size  and  shape  ;  taste  informs  us  of 
its  flavour ;  the  touch,  of  its  size  and  smoothness  ; 
the  smell,  of  its  fragrance ;  and  by  passing  it  near 
the  ear  and  pressing  it  we  learn  whether  it  is  moist 
or  dry. 

It  is  now  settled  that  the  nerves  of  sensation  in  the 
whole  system  are  not  the  same  as  the  nerves  of 
motion.  The  nerves  of  the  skin  are  full  of  sensi- 
bility, and,  when  wounded,  give  pain,  and  if  not 
healed  sometimes  cause  death.  But  the  nerves  of 
motion,  though  liable  to  the  sensation  of  weariness, 
are  not,  in  a  healthy  state,  sensitive  to  pain.  It  is 
a  striking  fact  that  some  muscles  and  nerves  are,  in 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  13 

a  healthy  condition,  under  the  control  of  the  will  and 
act  only  by  the  will,  while  others  commonly  act  with- 
out our  will  having  anything  to  do  with  their  motion. 
Thus,  the  will  may  control  the  winking  of  the  eye, 
or  the  expansion  of  the  chest ;  but  commonly  these 
operations  arc  involuntary.  It  is  well  that  respira- 
tion does  not  depend  on  an  act  of  volition.  If  it 
did,  whoever  slept  would  wake  no  more.  It  is  truly 
marvellous  that  the  new-born  infant  performs  the 
whole  operation  of  breathing  wTith  as  consummate 
skill  and  ease  as  the  man  who  has  practised  it  for 
fifty  years.  In  sound,  refreshing  sleep  the  muscles 
and  nerves  of  motion  are  at  rest. 

In  a  calm  and  healthy  person  the  balance  between 
muscular  and  nervous  strength  is  beautifully  pre- 
served ;  bnt  when  highly  excited  or  seriously  dis- 
eased, the  nerves  often  have  a  fearful  preponderance, 
and  do  not  permit  muscular  rest.  Sleep  departs, 
and,  unless  by  some  means  it  can  be  restored,  de- 
rangement and  death  must  follow.  Except  when 
the  muscular  and  nervous  systems  are  relaxed,  as  in 
sleep,  one  posture  for  a  long  time  is  both  painful  and 
injurious.  Exercise  is  the  law  of  our  nature.  This 
should  be  regular,  not  violent,  cheerful,  abundant 
and  recreating. 

In  our  bodies  are  many  contrivances  so  wonderful 
that  either  of  them  might  well  claim  the  study  of  a 
year.  The  ear,  the  lungs,  the  hand,  the  heart,  pre- 
sent themselves  as  examples.  The  lungs  are  the 
laboratory,  where  the  blood  is  brought  in  convict 
with  the  air,  and  is  changed  both  in  colour  and 
chemical   qualities.     The   ordinary   weight   of   the 


14  MAN   A    PROOF    OF    THE 

lunsra  in  a  full  crown  man  is  three  and  a  half 
pounds,  in  a  female  two  and  three-fourth  pounds. 
They  are  specifically  lighter  than,  water,  as  is  shown 
by  then*  floating  in  it.  The  two  lungs  are  not  of  the 
same  size  or  shape ;  the  left  being  narrower  and 
lighter,  has  two  lobes  ;  the  right,  being  less,  but 
broader,  has  three  lobes.  As  they  respire  the  air, 
they  make  a  cracking  noise,  which,  though  seldom 
heard  by  him  whose  they  are,  can  be  heard  by 
another  when  the  ear  is  placed  over  the  part.  This 
wonderful  little  machine  fits  the  blood  for  use,  and 
by  extracting  from  the  atmosphere  the  right  quantity 
of  oxygen,  diffuses  the  proper  degree  of  heat  through 
the  system.  Thus  an  Italian  soldier  was  able  to 
endure  a  Russian  campaign.  Thus  Sir  John  Ross 
and  his  men,  and  the  heroes  of  Dr.  Kane's  expedi- 
tion could  live  in  Polar  cold.  Thus  a  Green  lander 
might  endure  the  high  temperature  of  the  tropics. 
In  man  the  lungs  are  better  suited  to  all  climates 
than  in  any  other  creature.  The  reason  is  that  he 
was  designed  to  live  and  travel  in  every  degree  of 
latitude  on  the  habitable  globe.  He  carries  his 
warming  apparatus  within  him,  and  it  produces  more 
or  less  heat  according;  to  his  necessities. 

Closely  connected  with  the  lungs,  and  lying 
between  them,  is  the  heart,  which  in  a  full  grown 
man  weighs  about  nine  ounces,  in  a  female  nearly  an 
ounce  less.  It  is  not  quite  five  inches  in  length, 
three  and  a  half  in  breadth,  two  and  a  half  in  thick- 
ness, and  has  the  capacity  of  thirty-two  cubic  inches. 
One  half  of  the  heart  is  for  arterial  blood  and  the 
other  for  venous  blood.     Although  but  slightly,  if 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  15 

at  all,  supplied  with  nerves  of  sensation,  it  lias  to  a 
wonderful  extent  muscular  power,  and  of  course 
nerves  of  motion.  As  a  force  pump  it  drives  tlie 
blood  into  the  extremities  of  all  the  arteries  ;  as  a 
socking  pump  it  draws  the  blood  from  the  extremi- 
ties of  all  the  veins.  In  a  healthy  man  it  gives 
every  minute  about  seventy-two  strokes,  which  arc 
so  powerful  that  they  are  felt  all  over  the  body,  and 
may  be  easily  heard.  Thus,  this  little  engine,  by  day 
and  by  night,  from  infancy  till  death,  works  on  and 
never  stops,  giving  every  hour  four  thousand  three 
hundred  and  twenty  strokes ;  every  day  one  hundred 
and  three  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty  strokes ; 
every  year  thirty-seven  million  eight  hundred  and 
forty-three  thousand  and  two  hundred  strokes,  and 
iu  seventy  years  the  enormous  sum  of  two  billion 
six  hundred  and  forty-eight  million  and  twenty-four 
thousand  strokes. 

Look,  too,  at  the  hand,  so  curious,  so  various  in 
its  uses,  and  so  perfect  in  its  structure  that  one  of 
the  excellent  volumes  of  the  Bridgewater  Treatises  is 
entirely  on  the  hand.  It  greatly  aids  us  in  walking, 
leaping,  running  and  riding.  It  is  essential  to  us  in 
climbing,  swimming,  carving,  cutting,  hammering, 
planting,  sowing  ;  in  short  in  almost  all  domestic, 
mechanical  and  agricultural  pursuits.  It  is  at  once 
capable  of  robust  and  of  delicate  action.  With  a 
stroke  it  knocks  down  an  ox,  and  with  a  delicate 
motion  it  removes  a  cataract  from  the  eye.  With  it 
we  sew,  we  spin,  we  weave,  we  knit,  we  embrace  a 
friend,  repel  an  enemy,  make,  or  mend,  or  wind  a 
watch,    wield    a  sledge-hammer,    paint,     engrave, 


16  MAN    A    PROOF    OF     THE 

make  laces  or  cables,  practice  archery,  sculpture  and 
a  thousand  arts.  "Well  did  the  great  lyric  poet  of 
the  Hebrews  speak  of  the  cunning  of  his  rigid  hand.. 
No  hundred  or  thousand  of  human  inventions  are 
capable  of  so  many  uses,  and  of  perfection  in  them 
all,  as  this  little  machine  which  we  carry  at  the  end 
of  our  arms.  In  like  manner  we  might  describe 
each  part  of  our  corporeal  system. 

This  body  thus  constituted  is  an  incomparable 
mechanism.     Professor  Henry  says  : 

' 'The  human  hotly  is  itself  an  admirably  con- 
trived complex  machine,  furnished  with  levers,  pul- 
leys, cords,  valves,  and  other  appliances  for  the 
power  derived  from  the  food.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  loco- 
motive engine,  impelled  by  the  same  power  which, 
under  another  form,  gives  activity  and  energy  to  the 
iron-horse  of  the  railway.  In  both,  the  power  is 
derived  from  combustion  of  the  carbon  and  hydro- 
gen of  the  organic  matter  employed  for  food  or  fuel, 
In  both,  the  direction  of  power  is  under  the  influence 
of  an  immaterial,  thinking,  willing  principle,  called 
the  soul.  But  this  must  not  be  confounded,  as  it 
frequently  is,  with  the  motive  power.  The  soul  of 
a  man  no  more  moves  his  body  than  the  soul  of  the 
engineer  moves  the  locomotive  and  its  attendant 
train  of  cars.  In  both  cases  the  soul  is  the  directing, 
controlling,  not  the  impelling  power.  Let,  for 
example,  a  locomotive  engine  be  placed  upon  the 
track,  with  water  in  the  boiler  and  lire  in  the  grate  ; 
in  short,  with  all  the  potentials  of  motion,  and  it 
will  still  remain  quiescent.  In  this  state,  let  the 
engineer   enter  the  tender   and   touch   the   valve ; 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  17 

the  machine  instantly  becomes  instinct  with  life  and 
volition  ;  it  has  now  a  soul  to  govern  its  power  and 
direct  its  operations ;  and,  indeed,  as  a  whole,  it 
may  be  considered  as  an  enormous  animal,  of  which 
the  wheels  and  other  parts  are  additions  to  the  body 
of  the  engineer." 

The  laws  which  govern  the  human  body,  are  as 
wonderful  and  as  stable  as  any  other  laws.  An 
injury  suddenly  brought  on  may  often  be  speedily 
removed ;  but  an  inveterate  disease  commonly  re- 
quires time,  and  care,  and  patience  to  remove  it. 
When  necessity  demands  it,  we  may  violate  the 
ordinary  rules  of  health,  perhaps  with  impunity, 
* '  but  it  is  always  on  condition  of  returning  to  obe- 
dience the  moment  the  necessity  is  over." 

Thus  we  have  had  a  little  insight  into  the  marvels, 
delicacies  and  powers  of  our  animal  nature.  An 
eminent  anatomist  once  said  that  if  any  man  could 
see  how  delicately  his  frame  is  constructed,  he  would 
be  afraid  to  leap,  or  run,  or  walk,  or  even  breathe,  lest 
death  should  ensue.  Galen  said  it  was  worth  a  long 
voyage  or  journey  to  be  permitted  to  study  a  human 
skeleton.  As  to  those  who  would  ally  the  human 
body  to  that  of  the  monkey  race,  it  seems  strange 
that  they  did  not  remember  that  the  dog,  the  bea- 
ver, the  horse  and  the  elephant  excel  the  monkey  in 
sagacity,  though  not  in  agility  ;  and  that  the  mon- 
key cannot  live  except  in  warm  or  mild  climates. 
The  judgment, which  could  harbor  such  a  concep- 
tion, must  be  as  low  as  the  taste  which  relishes  it. 

Let  us  next  contemplate  mail's  intellectual  nature. 
"  The  intellect  of   Newton,"  says  Edward  Everett, 


18  MAN   A    PROOF    OF    THE 

1 '  which  discovered  the  law  that  holds  the  revolving 
worlds  together,  is  a  nobler  work  of  God  than  a 
universe  of  universes  of  unthinking  matter."  Many 
of  man's  corporeal  powers  he  has  in  common  with 
brutes.  In  strength,  in  swiftness,  in  power  of  endu- 
rance many  of  them  excel  him.  Some  of  them  out- 
live him,  as  the  eagle,  which  reaches  one  hundred 
years ;  the  ass,  which  reaches  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ;  the  elephant,  which  lives  four  hundred  years ; 
and  the  whale,  which  numbers  its  thousand  years. 
Some  of  them  can  fly,  while  man  is  confined  to  the 
earth's  surface.  Some  of  them  are  amphibious, 
while  water  is  destructive  of  man's  life.  Whole 
families  of  them  can  live  for  months  without  food  ; 
man  must  eat  often.  Some  of  them  have  very 
remarkable  instincts ;  but  none  of  them  have  any 
thing  comparable  to  the  faculties  of  the  human 
mind:  nor  have  they  articulate  speech,  or  musical 
science.  For  speech  they  have  no  use  ;  because  they 
have  no  ideas,  conceptions,  memories,  or  reasonings 
which  cannot  be  otherwise  expressed.  The  rabbit 
never  makes  to  her  mate  or  her  young  any  noise 
with  her  mouth  and  lungs.  Her  warning  is  given  by 
striking  her  foot  on  the  ground.  Xor  do  any  of 
the  brutes  know  any  thing  of  numbers.  Not  one 
of  them  can  count.  JSTor  are  they  subject  to  any 
code  of  moral  laws  ;  nor  have  they  any  moral  sense  ; 
nor  arc  they  accountable  ;  nor  do  they  know  their 
Maker.  They  are  all  wholly  destitute  of  the  senti- 
ment of  religion. 

The  mind  of  man  is  an  amazing  product  of  the 
divine  skill.     Like  God  it  is  in  its  nature  spiritual ; 


TRUTHS    OF   NATURAL    RELIGION.  19 

but  unlike  God  it  is  both  created  and  finite,  and  is 
connected  with  a  body  material,  and  liable  to  dis- 
ease and  death.  For  "  although  God  is  in  all  the 
universe,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  is  the  soul  of  the 
world.  The  human  soul  is  a  part  of  a  compound  of 
which  the  body  is  the  other  part ;  and  these  two  act 
mutually  on  each  other,  as  being  the  parts  of  the 
same  whole.  But  God  is  in  the  universe,  not  as  a 
part  of  the  universe,  but  as  its  governor.  He  acts 
on  everything,  but  nothing  has  the  power  of  action 
on  him."  It  is  very  humbling  to  man  that  his 
highest  trains  of  thought  may  be  broken  off  by  bodily 
pain.  Some  diseases  of  the  body  produce  delirium, 
mania  and  idiocy.  All  mental  diseases  have  their 
seat  in  the -body,  although  the  irregular  or  excessive 
action  of  the  mind  may  have  first  induced  the  bodily 
disease,  which  causes  insanity  or  imbecility  of  mind. 
Among  the  faculties  of  the  human  mind  are  per- 
ception, judgment,  reason,  memory,  imagination 
and  taste.  By  these  we  are  enabled  to  accomplish 
many  great  results.  Without  attempting  any  scien- 
tific description  of  these  powers,  let  us  see  some  of 
the  results  effected  by  them.  The  perceptive  faculty 
of  the  mind  operates  through  the  five  senses.  The 
sense  giving  us  the  least  information  perhaps  is  the 
taste,  and  yet  it  is  in  many  ways  very  important  to 
us.  Although  it  may  be  deceived,  yet  it  commonly 
informs  us  whether  an  article  of  food  is  wholesome. 
It  tells  us  whether  anything  is  sweet,  or  sour,  or  bit- 
ter, or  insipid,  or  nauseating.  The  sense  of  smell 
often  gives  us  information  of  the  state  of  the  sur- 
rounding atmosphere,  and  of  the  odour  of  a  thou- 


20  MAN   A   PROOF    OF     THE 

sand  objects.  Were  it  as  acute  in  man  as  it  is  said 
to  be  in  some  other  creatures,  his  existence  would 
be  miserable ;  and  were  it  as  dull  in  man  as  in 
some  other  creatures,  his  life  would  be  in  constant 
peril.  By  the  sense  of  hearing  we  are  able  to  enjoy 
conversation,  oratory  and  music  ;  we  are  warned  of 
approaching  dangers,  and  are  made  glad  from  infancy 
to  age  by  a  thousand  tones  of  tenderness  and  notes 
of  affection.  By  the  sense  of  feeling  we  judge  the 
qualities  and  state  of  objects  as  to  their  size,  rough- 
ness, smoothness,  hardness,  temperature,  &c.  Vision 
is  in  some  respects  far  the  noblest  of  all  our  senses. 
It  tells  us  of  the  love  that  beams  in  a  friend's  face, 
of  the  sorrow  that  fills  his  heart,  and  of  the  hope  that 
kindles  his  eye.  It  warns  us  of  the  approach  of 
some  dangers,  even  when  miles  distant.  It  guides 
our  feet  over  smooth  or  rugged  paths.  It  takes  in 
at  a  glance  many  of  the  beauties  of  a  landscape. 
Quitting  earth  it  travels  millions  on  millions  of  miles 
to  myriads  of  distant  worlds.  It  sees  above  us  a 
blazing  universe,  and  around  us  beauty  and  sub- 
limity in  wonderful  profuseness.  All  these  senses 
are  capable  of  great  improvement.  The  old  sailor, 
spy  or  hunter  can  see  much  farther  and  more  keenly 
than  one  untrained  to  descrying  distant  objects. 

The  mind  of  man  also  perceives  and  embraces 
many  scientific  and  moral  truths,  which  are  first 
principles,  so  plain  that  to  apprehend  them  is  to 
as  at  to  t]  iem.  A  very  large  part  of  our  knowledge 
has  its  scat  in  intuition. 

We  also  gain  much  knowledge  by  experience  ; 
thai  is,  by  seeing  that  certain  effects  follow  certain 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  21 

causes.     Children  will  venture  on  flame  and  fire  till 
by  experience  they  learn  its  power  to  burn. 

So  also  we  learn  much  from  the  testimony  of 
parents,  nurses,  playmates,  teachers,  prophets,  apos- 
tles and  God  himself.  ISTo  man  has  ever  seen  a  half 
of  the  places,  which  he  believes  to  exist.  By  use, 
we  learn  to  discriminate  between  true  and  false 
testimony. 

Judgment  is  the  faculty  which  compares  one 
thing  with  another,  weighs  evidence,  examines  facts, 
assertions  and  principles,  and  so  reaches  conclusions. 
The  judgments  of  most  men  would  be  good,  if  they 
had  more  distrust,  and  wTere  less  swayed  by  passion. 

Reason  links  thoughts,  facts,  events  and  percep- 
tions together,  building  its  conclusions  on  certain 
probable  or  possible  truths,  and  reaching  results 
oftentimes  very  remote  from  the  premises  admitted. 
At  other  times  its  processes  are  exceedingly  simple. 

Of  all  the  intellectual  faculties,  noue  is  more 
remarkable  than  memory,  by  wrhich  we  treasure  up 
past  experiences,  perceptions  and  judgments.  The 
power  of  memory  is  truly  admirable.  Even  in 
childhood,  how  soon  a  language,  and  sometimes 
several  languages,  are  learned.  "Where  it  is  highly 
cultivated,  it  often  acquires  an  astonishing  retentive- 
ness.  Some  men  can  repeat  a  paragraph  or  short 
discourse  from  reading  it  twice.  Auctioneers  have 
been  known  to  be  able  to  name  at  the  close  of  busy 
hours  the  articles  sold,  the  order  in  which  they  were 
sold,  the  price,  and  the  purchaser ;  and  all  without 
any  written  memorandum.  Pilots  on  the  Mississippi 
so  rely  on  their  memories,  that  they  can  navigate 
3 


22  MAN   A   PROOF    OF     THE 

that  noble  stream  for  thousands  of  miles,  rnnning 
up  or  down,  by  day  or  by  night,  and  tell  at  any 
moment,  unless  buried  in  fog,  where  they  are,  and 
what  dangers  surround  them.  Some  men  have 
carried  the  whole  doctrinal  and  practical  truths  of 
Scripture  in  their  memories.  The  memory  of  Adam 
doubtless  carries  him  back  to  the  first  day  of  his 
going  forth  in  Eden,  just  as  distinctly  as  our  memo- 
ries tell  us  of  yesterday. 

The  imagination  carries  one  forward  in  the  course 
of  duration,  till  he  is  lost  in  infinity.  It  groups 
together  pleasant  or  painful  scenes,  events  and  ideas, 
until  the  mind  is  satisfied,  or  can  bear  no  more.  Its 
greatest  development  and  power  are  seen  in  the  sculp- 
tor, the  painter,  the  poet  and  the  eloquent  orator. 

By  the  mental  faculty  of  taste,  we  determine  what 
is  beautiful,  comely,  majestic  or  symmetrical  in  nature 
or  in  art.  Both  taste  and  judgment  are  very  depen- 
dent on  culture  and  exercise  for  any  approach  they 
make  towards  perfection. 

All  these  mental  powers  are  at  birth  undeveloped ; 
hut  in  due  time,  in  some  sooner  than  others,  they  are 
drawn  forth  into  some  degree  of  vigor.  Nor  is 
there  any  evidence  that  any  of  them  will  ever  be 
lost.  Extravagant  things  may  have  been  uttered 
respecting  the  immortality  of  thought ;  but  however 
frivolous  things  may  perish  from  the  mind,  and  pain- 
ful things  from  virtuous  minds,  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  any  truly  valuable  or  weighty  thought 
will  so  vanish  and  flee  away  as  never  under  any  cir- 
cumstances again  to  come  forth. 

If  we  would  form  a  just  conception  of  the  power 


TRUTHS    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION.  23 

of  the  human  mind,  let  us  dwell  on  the  scope,  variety 
and  accuracy  of  the  attainments  of  Solomon,  whose 
favorite  studies  seem  to  have  been  zoology,  botany, 
poetry,  eloquence,  government,  moral  science  and 
theology.  Look,  too,  at  the  vastness  of  the  attain- 
ments of  such  students  as  Newton,  Locke,  Milton, 
Linnaeus,  Cuvier,  La  Place  and  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy.  And  yet,  it  may  well  be  doubted,  whether 
the  actual  knowledge  of  every  man  of  good  mind 
in  Christian  lands  does  not  exceed,  both  in  value 
and  amount,  all  that  any  one  of  these  has  written ; 
for  none  of  them  told  us  half  that  he  knew,  because 
mankind  already  were  in  possession  of  it. 

Though  all  our  faculties  are  liable  to  derangement 
and  decay,  on  account  of  neglect,  passion,  folly,  or 
bodily  disease ;  yet  no  one  has  ever  been  able  to  set 
any  limit  to  the  acquisitions  men  may  make.  AVe 
know  that  man  is  finite,  and  that,  compared  with 
God,  he  is  brutish  in  his  knowledge.  But  that  he 
will,  in  a  glorified  state,  be  making  delightful  and 
everlasting  progress  towards  perfection,  is  seriously 
doubted  by  no  one,  who  seeks  for  glory,  honour, 
immortality  and  eternal  life.  Yet  man  will  never 
become  independent  of  his  Maker.  The  hand  that 
formed  him  must  guide  his  destiny.  Surely  the 
mind  of  man  is  the  offspring  of  a  Being  of  bound- 
less wisdom,  goodness  and  power.  And  to  be  with- 
out God,  in  this  or  any  other  world,  is  to  be  a  poor, 
forlorn,  forsaken  thing,  a  leaf  driven  by  the  winds, 
a  fool  and  a  madman.  Separated  from  God,  angels 
sunk  and  shrivelled  into  devils.     Therefore, 

1.  The  foundations  laid   in  God's  works  for  all 


24       MAN    A    PROOF    OF    NATURAL    RELIGION. 

the  truths  of  natural  religion  is  broad  and  solid.  It 
is  perfectly  clear  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  wise, 
and  good,  and  mighty.  The  universe  has  a  Father, 
a  Protector.  If  in  immensity  we  could  find  no 
proof  of  these  things  but  in  man  alone,  the  argu- 
ment would  be  irrefragable. 

2.  We  have  a  blessed  theme  for  grateful  and  ador- 
ing songs  to  the  kind  Author  of  our  being.  Well 
did  David  say,  "I  will  praise  thee,  fori  am  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made  ;  marvellous  are  thy  works, 
and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right  well."  "Blessed 
be  God,"  said  Ilalyburton,  "that  ever  I  was  born." 

3.  These  things  being  so,  reigning  levity  is  folly, 
is  a  crime,  and  seriousness  is  rational,  even  solem- 
nity is  wise.  It  is  sad  and  vile  to  make  no  higher 
use  of  our  noble  powers  than  to  glitter  like  the  but- 
terfly, or  indulge  our  animal  appetites  like  the  brutes. 
He  must  be  guilty,  who  has  eyes  and  does  not  see, 
ears  and  does  not  hear,  a  mind  and  does  not  know, 
a  heart  and  does  not  feel. 

4.  Prayer  is  reasonable.  It  is  a  natural  duty.  It 
results  from  man's  dependence.  His  very  helpless- 
ness should  make  him  lift  up  his  voice  to  the  Father 
of  spirits,  who  is  also  the  Father  of  mercies;  and 
pours  countless  blessings  on  his  offspring.  He 
feeds  the  young  ravens,  clothes  the  grass  ;  and  he 
can  feed  and  clothe  us.  He  gave  us  our  being.  He 
is  perfect  Master  of  our  existence.  We  can  of  our- 
selves no  more  cease  to  exist,  than  we  could  in  non- 
entity originate  our  being.  He  that  made  us  will 
not  annihilate  us.  Let  us  never  be  ashamed  to  look 
up  to  his  eternal  and  propitious  throne. 


TIIE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  25 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE   BIBLE   IS    THE  WORD   OF  GOD. 

If  the  Bible  is  not  the  word  of  God,  it  is  certain 
that  man  has  no  revelation  from  heaven.  The  books 
esteemed  sacred  by  the  Mohametans  and  Hindoos 
are  not  worthy  of  even  a  good  man,  much  less  of 
God.  So  that  the  world  has  no  true  and  saving 
light  from  heaven  unless  it  is  found  in  the  holy 
Scriptures. 

It  is  not  the  object  of  this  chapter  to  give  even  an 
outline  of  the  ordinary  and  irrefragable  course  of 
argument  employed  to  establish  the  divine  origin 
and  authority  of  the  Scriptures.  If  the  reader 
wishes  to  see  such  an  extended  view  of  this  matter, 
he  is  referred  to  Spring's  <  'Bible  not  of  Man,"  '  'Keith 
on  the  Prophecies,"  "  Soame  Jenyn's  Evidences," 
Mcllvaine's  "  Evidences  of  Christianity,"  Nelson's 
"  Cause  and  Cure  of  Infidelity,"  and  a  small  work 
by  the  author  of  this  volume,  entitled  "The  Bible 
True,  and  Infidelity  Wicked."  See  also  "Alexan- 
der's Evidences,"  and  Fuller's  "  Gospel  its  own  Wit- 
ness." The  present  design  is  to  suggest  a  few  trains 
of  thought,  which  may  be  useful  to  plain  people,  who 
have  but  little  time  for  reading  or  learned  inquiry. 

None  will  deny  that  the  Bible  claims  to  be  the 
word  of  God.  The  phrase,  "Thussaith  the  Lord?" 
3* 


26  THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD. 

is  of  very  frequent  occurrence.  A  great  variety  of 
sayings  of  like  import  is  found  in  the  sacred  volume  ; 
such  as,  *  'Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  came 
unto  me,"  &c,  &c. 

All  these  things  are  found  in  a  volume,  which 
reserves  its  heaviest  woes  and  maledictions  for  false 
prophets  and  false  teachers,  who  corrupt  God's  word, 
add  to  it,  or  take  from  it.  So  that  if  the  prophets, 
evangelists  and  apostles  were  not  divinely  inspired 
to  write  the  various  books  of  the  Bible,  they  were, 
by  their  own  showing,  among  the  worst  men  that 
ever  lived,  and  deserving  of  the  sorest  plagues 
reserved  for  atrocious  sinners.  But  does  the  history 
of  Moses,  David,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  John  and  Paul 
show  that  they  were  unprincipled  and  infamous  liars 
and  impostors  ? 

If  Christianity  is  not  true,  even  its  enemies  admit 
that  no  delusion  ever  before  produced  so  remarkably 
happy  effects  in  subduing  the  fierceness  of  men,  in 
awakening  a  spirit  of  improvement,  in  elevating  the 
humble  and  in  consoling  the  distressed. 

One  thing  respecting  Christianity  has  often  and 
fitly  been  noticed.  The  more  severe  the  trials  and 
sufferings  of  its  followers,  the  more  abundantly  have 
they  been  sustained.  Many  have  manifested  but 
ordinary  strength  and  courage,  till  they  were  sub- 
jected to  cruel  mockings  or  terrible  tortures.  Then 
their  heroism  has  been  undaunted  and  their  patience 
wonderful.  False  systems  often  promise  well  in 
prosperity  ;  but  in  adversity  their  folly  is  commonly 
manifest. 


THE    BIBLE    IS   THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  27 

Nor  can  it  be  denied  that  there  have  been  no  more 
acute  and  sagacious  people,  whether  persons  or 
nations,  than  those  who  have  embraced  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  word  of  God.  Nor  has  any  people  ever 
improved  its  civil,  social  or  moral  state  by  rejecting 
Christianity  and  embracing  any  form  of  infidelity. 
On  the  other  hand  many  have  arisen  fnm  a  very 
low  state  by  the  power  of  God's  truth  made  known 
in  Scripture.  It  has  revolutionized  their  entire  con- 
dition and  changed  their  prospects  for  time  and 
eternity. 

There  are  several  short  methods  of  stating  the 
argument,  which  have  never  been  fairly  met.  Here 
is  one  from  John  Wesley  :  * '  I  beg  leave  to  propose 
a  short,  clear  and  strong  argument  to  prove  the 
divine  inspiration  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  The  Bible 
must  come  either  from  good  men  or  angels,  from 
bad  men  or  devils,  or  from  God.  It  could  not  be 
the  invention  of  good  men  or  angels,  for  they 
neither  would  nor  could  make  a  book,  and  tell  lies 
all  the  time  they  were  writing  it,  saying,  'Thus 
saith  the  Lord,'  when  it  was  their  own  invention. 
It  could  not  be  the  invention  of  bad  men  or  devils, 
for  they  would  not  and  could  not  make  a  book, 
which  commands  all  duty,  forbids  all  sin,  and  con- 
demns their  souls  to  hell  to  all  eternity.  I  therefore 
draw  the  conclusion  that  the  Bible  must  have  been 
given  by  divine  inspiration." 

Another  short  mode  of  reasoning  is  this.  Every 
effect  must  have  an  adequate  cause.  This  is  as  true 
of  moral  as  of  physical  changes.  On  this  principle 
we  ought  to  seek  a  cause  fit  to  produce  those  happy 


28  THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD. 

transformations  of  character,  often  witnessed  where 
the  gospel  is  made  known.  One  has  briefly  stated 
the  cass  thus :  " There  was  a  man  who  started  from 
Jerusalem  towards  Damascus,  on  a  mission  of  per- 
secution and  murder,  proud,  cruel,  vindictive.  He 
came  from  Damascus  with  a  heart  yearning  towards 
all  mankind,  with  the  humility  of  a  child,  and  with 
affections  as  tender  as  a  woman's  love.  He  went 
towards  Damascus  with  an  intellect  narrowed  down 
to  a  rapier's  point,  and  harder  than  its  steel.  He 
came  from  Damascus  with  an  intellect  broadened 
and  fused  with  divine  fire,  and  with  a  logic  so  invin- 
cible, and  with  its  links  so  warm  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that  it  moulded  the  thought  of  the  world  for 
eighteen  centuries."  Paul  always  regarded,  and 
more  than  once  stated  his  conversion  as  a  demon- 
stration of  the  truth  of  God's  word. 

The  challenge  of  Lactantius  has  stood  for  fifteen 
hundred  years  unanswered :  ' '  Give  me  a  man  of  pas- 
sionate, abusive,  headstrong  disposition  ;  with  a  few 
only  of  the  words  of  God,  I  will  make  him  gentle 
as  a  lamb.  Give  me  a  greedy,  avaricious,  tenacious 
wretch  ;  and  I  will  teach  him  to  distribute  his  riches 
with  a  liberal  and  unsparing  hand.  Give  me  a  cruel 
and  bloodthirsty  monster ;  and  all  his  rage  shall  be 
changed  into  true  benignity.  Give  me  a  man 
addicted  to  injustice,  full  of  ignorance,  and  immersed 
in  wickedness ;  he  shall  soon  become  just,  prudent 
and  innocent." 

This  transforming  powrer  of  God's  word  has  been 
noticed  and  celebrated  in  all  ages.  "The  law  of  the 
Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul,"     Its  renewing 


THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  29 

energy  is  as  great  now  as  it  ever  was.  The  king  of 
the  Eeejce  Islands,  once  a  fierce  and  cruel  cannibal, 
is  now  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  of  peace  and  love. 
The  word  of  God  was  never  more  lively  or  power- 
ful than  it  has  proven  itself  to  be  in  the  history  of 
modern  missions.  What  miracles  of  mercy  it  has 
wrought  in  Greenland,  in  South  Africa,  in  the 
islands  of  the  sea,  in  fact,  all  over  the  earth.  Eead 
the  history  of  the  planting  and  growth  of  Christian 
Churches  in  many  places. 

The  gospel  exerts  no  merely  vague  and  general 
influence.  It  lays  hold  of  individuals,  and  by  renew- 
ing them  improves  society.  Thus  the  work  is  tho- 
rough, and  thus  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump.  The  following  narrative  has  found  its  way 
into  several  publications  : 

"In  1787,  the  ship  Bounty  sailed  from  England 
to  the  Pacific,  in  quest  of  young  bread-fruit  trees  to 
be  replanted  in  the  West  Indies.  On  her  way 
home,  the  crew  mutinied,  placed  the  master  and 
eighteen  others  in  a  frail  open  boat,  with  scanty  pro- 
visions, and  committed  them  to  the  mercy  of  the 
ocean.  Strange  to  tell,  that  boat  accomplished 
a  voyage  of  more  than  four  thousand  miles,  and 
reached  England  in  safety.  The  mutineers,  twenty- 
five  in  number,  set  sail  for  some  island  in  the  Paci- 
fic. They  quarrelled  and  separated.  About  half 
of  the  whole  number  were  captured  by  an  English 
vessel-of-war,  carried  home  and  hung  in  irons. 
Nine  of  these  desperadoes  went  to  Tahiti,  took  on 
board  nineteen  natives — seven  men  and  twelve 
women — and  sailed  for  some  uninhabited  island  in 


30  THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD. 

the  ocean.  They  found  one,  Pitcairn's  Island. 
Shortly  after  landing,  the  Tahiti  an  men  murdered 
five  of  the  mutineers,  upon  which  the  twelve  women 
rose  at  night,  and  killed  their  seven  countrymen. 
Of  the  four  remaining  mutineers,  one  invented  a 
distillery,  and  becoming  delirious,  leaped  from  a 
cliff  into  the  sea,  and  was  lost.  Another  was  shot 
for  attempting  to  destroy  his  messmates.  Of  the 
two  then  left,  one  died  a  natural  death,  and  the 
other,  named  John  Adams,  alone  survived.  Here 
their  hiding  place  was  undisturbed  till  1814,  when 
it  was  visited,  and  also  in  1825.  Strange  altera- 
tions had  taken  place.  The  number  of  inhabitants 
had  increased  to  seventy.  There  was  no  debauchery 
among  them.  Good  order  prevailed.  Filial  affec- 
tion and  brotherly  love  pervaded  the  entire  society. 
The  blessing  of  God  was  invoked  on  every  meal. 
Prayer  was  offered  every  morning,  noon  and  even- 
ing. The  laws  of  civilized  society  were  in  force. 
The  rights  of  property  were  respected.  A  simple 
and  pure  morality  was  prevalent.  How  was  this  ? 
What  had  made  the  change?  Had  vice  wrought 
its  own  cure  ?  Had  there  been  some  good  princi- 
ples combined  with  the  mutiny  and  murder,  the 
heathenism  and  devilish  passions,  which  the  gang 
had  been  guilty  of?  No.  These  evils  never 
work  their  own  cure,  except  by  consuming,  like  a 
fire,  their  own  materials. 

"The  cause  of  the  change  was  this.  Adams  had 
saved,  hid  and  preserved  a  Bible,  and,  when  his 
comrades  were  dead,  he  studied  it,  embraced  its 
promises,  believed  God's  testimony  concerning   his 


THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  31 

Son,  was  converted ;  read  and  taught  its  truths  to 
his  family  and  neighbours ;  and  God  blessed  his 
own  word  to  their  conversion  also.  That  very  Bible 
is  now  in  this  country.  It  is  a  small  volume,  printed 
in  1765.  The  salt  sea  and  the  salt  tears  of  old 
Adams,  have  taken  away  its  gloss,  and  dimmed  its 
print;  but  it  contains  God's  testimony  of  Jesus. 
That  was  the  secret  of  its  power.  The  worm  has 
eaten  it  through  and  through ;  but  the  glad  tidings 
to  sinners  can  still  be  read  in  it.  That  Bible  has 
travelled  round  the  globe,  has  been  the  means  of 
reforming  a  whole  community  of  out-laws,  and  still 
lives  to  proclaim  its  divine  original  and  its  life-giving 
power.  When  Adams  was  brought  to  his  death,  he 
was  old  in  years,  but  strong  in  faith.  The  friends  of 
the  old  salt  collected  around  him  and  asked,  'Well, 
John,  what  cheer?'  'Land  ahead,'  was  his  char- 
acteristic reply.  After  a  few  days,  they  again  gath- 
ered around  him  and  said,  'Well,  John,  how  now  V 
'Rounding  the  point  into  the  harbor,'  he  replied. 
At  last  he  lay  upon  his  dying  pillow,  and  his  rela- 
tives were  standing  all  around  in  tears,  and  yet  in 
hope.  One  said,  'Brother,  how  now?'  'Let  go  the 
anchor,'  was  his  dying  exclamation, and  he  fell  asleep." 
This  amazing  power  in  a  book  to  renew  and  re- 
form, to  sanctify  and  bless  men,  is  confined  to  the 
Bible,  and  to  books  whose  doctrines  and  principles 
are  drawn  from  God's  word.  Cicero  wrote  elo- 
quently, and  often  justly,  respecting  the  nature  of 
God,  and  our  moral  duties.  But  who  was  ever 
thereby  converted  from  sin  to  holiness,  from  Satan 
unto  God? 


32  THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD. 

Nor  is  the  transforming  power  of  the  truth  con- 
fined to  any  one  doctrine,  text,  chapter  or  book  of 
Scripture.  So  far  from  this  you  may  live  a  half 
century,  and  you  will  hardly  find  two  men,  whose 
awakening,  conviction  or  conversion,  seems  to  have 
been  by  the  divine  blessing  on  precisely  the  same 
truth.  Paul  never  knew  himself  till  he  saw  the 
spiritual  meaning  of  the  tenth  commandment. 
Horn,  vii :  7.  The  Ethiopian  treasurer  found  sav- 
ing light  in  the  fifty- third  chapter  of  Isaiah.  "Poor 
Joseph's"  creed  was  very  short,  nor  could  he  be  per- 
suaded to  lengthen  it.  It  was  long  enough  to  give 
him  hope  and  peace:  "It  is  a  faithful  saying  that 
CI  i  rist  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  of 
whom  I  am  chief." 

Nor  does  the  efficacy  of  Scripture  depend  on  the 
greatness  of  him  who  utters  it.  A  little  child  has 
often  repeated  a  truth  of  God's  word  with  irresisti- 
ble power.  Paul,  the  prisoner,  clanking  his  chain, 
made  Felix  tremble.  In  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury, there  was  a  mission  school  at  Cornwall,  Con- 
no  •t'n.-ut.  Among  the  heathen  youth  brought  to 
it  was  Thomas  Hoopoo,  of  the  South  Sea  Islands. 
When  he  had  been  in  this  country  about  two  years, 
he  took  a  journey  with  a  friend,  and  spent  an  even- 
ing in  a  select  company,  where  many  questions  were 
proposed  to  him  by  an  irreligious  lawyer  to  get  his 
amusing  answers.  At  length  Thomas  said,  "lam 
a  pi  >or  heathen  boy.  It  is  not  strange  that  my  blun- 
ders in  English  should  amuse  you.  But  soon  there 
will  be  a  larger  meeting  than  this.  We  shall  all  be 
there.     They  will  ask  us  all  one  question,  viz ;   'Do 


THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  33 

you  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  V  Now,  sir,  I  think 
I  can  say,  Yes.  What  will  you  say,  sir?"  He 
ceased:  a  solemn  silence  prevailed.  The  stillness 
was  awful.  At  length  the  lawyer  proposed  that  the 
evening  be  closed  with  suitable  devotions,  in  which 
Thomas  should  lead.  He  did  so,  in  a  meek  and 
affectionate  manner.  Soon  he  prayed  for  the  lawyer, 
alluding  to  his  talents  and  learning,  and  besought 
God  to  teach  him  the  way  of  salvation  by  a  Re- 
deemer. At  length  the  lawyer  sobbed  aloud.  Soon 
the  company  dispersed.  But  there  was  no  sleep  for 
that  lawyer.  The  question  of  this  poor  boy  from 
the  sea-girt  island,  "What  will  you  say,  sir?"  had 
pierced  his  soul.  He  walked  his  room  in  anguish. 
Ere  long  he  was  led  to  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of 
the  Redeemer.  So  out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and 
sucklings  God's  word  has  strength,  and  stills  the 
voice  of  the  gainsayer,  and  renews  the  temper  of 
his  mind. 

The  general  nature  of  the  argument  from  mira- 
cles is,  that  none  but  God  can  work  miracles ;  and 
that  a  God  of  truth  will  not  work  a  miracle  to  estab- 
lish a  falsehood.  The  evidence  that  miracles  have 
been  wrought  in  attestation  of  the  teachings  of 
Scripture  is  as  clear  and  as  abundant  as  that  in 
ancient  times  there  were  such  men  as  Cyrus,  Alex- 
ander and  Caesar,  or  that  there  were  such  cities  as 
Rome,  Carthage  and  Corinth.  To  us  the  evi- 
dence is  historical  in  all  these  cases.  There  are 
extant  more  historical  monuments  of  the  miracles 
of  Christ  and  of  his  apostles,  than  there  are  that 
Cyrus  captured  Babylon,   or  that  Csesar  conquered 


34  THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD. 

Gaul.  Xor  is  there  one  scrap  of  history  for  three 
hundred  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ  denying  or 
tending  to  disprove  his  miracles. 

The  general  nature  of  the  argument  from  pro- 
phecy may  be  thus  stated.  jSFone  but  God  fore- 
knows all  things.  A  good  God  will  not  lend  his 
prescience  to  deceive  mankind  into  the  belief  of 
a  lie.  The  prophecies  are  of  three  kinds ;  first,  such 
as  are  completely  fulfilled,  as  the  death  of  Christ,  the 
destruction  of  Babylon,  of  Tyre  and  of  Jerusalem  ; 
secondly,  such  as  are  now  in  a  course  of  fulfilment, 
as  those  respecting  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  the 
treading  down  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
spread  of  the  gospel ;  tliir&hj,  prophecies,  no  part  of 
which  is  fulfilled,  as  the  resurrection  of  all  the  dead 
and  a  general  judgment.  It  is  only  the  first  two 
classes  of  the  prophetical  writings  that  are  to  us 
proofs  of  the  divinity  of  Scripture.  Even  if  there 
were  room  for  doubt  respecting  the  authorship  of 
particular  prophetical  books,  or  the  precise  manner 
of  their  transmission  to  us,  that  would  no  more 
invalidate  the  argument  drawn  from  them  than  the 
same  doubts  would  weaken  the  testimony  of  history 
respecting  Cataline  or  Pompey.  The  fact  of  certain 
predictions,  and  of  their  dire  or  glorious  fulfilment 
cannot  be  denied,  without  defying  all  the  laws  of 
evidence. 

I  conclude  this  line  of  hints  of  argument,  by 
stating  that  in  support  of  the  truth  that  the  Bible  is 
God's  word  we  have  every  appropriate  kind  of  evi- 
dence. We  have  miracles  ;  we  have  prophecies ; 
we  have  a  matchless  and  perfect  code  of  morals  ;  we 


THE    BIBLE    IS    THE    WORD    OF    GOD.  35 

have  the  only  system  that  teaches  the  true  nature  of 
God,  the  true  principles  of  his  government,  and  the 
only  way  of  salvation  hy  a  Redeemer ;  we  have  holi- 
ness to  the  Lord  written  on  every  book ;  we  have  the 
perfect  agreement  of  all  the  parts  ;  we  have  the 
incomparable  character  of  Christ ;  we  have  the  faith- 
ful history  of  his  disciples  and  apostles;  and  we  have 
the  continued  power  of  the  gospel  over  those  who 
truly  and  humbly  receive  and  obey  it.  It  is  incredi- 
ble that  all  these  kinds  of  evidence  should  unite  to 
support  a  falsehood  and  encourage  us  to  believe  a 
lie. 


36  THE    SCRIPTURE    IS 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    SCRIPTURE    IS   UNCHANGING   AND   UNFAILING. 

In  man  meet  the  strangest  opposites.  He  is  both 
mortal  and  immortal.  A  creature  of  yesterday,  he 
shall  henceforth  have  an  existence  parallel  with  that 
of  God.  He  is  finite,  yet  has  boundless  desires 
within  him,  and  boundless  prospects  before  him. 
Capable  of  communion  with  the  God  of  heaven,  he 
spends  much  of  his  life  in  low  pursuits.  Destined 
to  a  changeless  state  beyond  the  grave,  he  is  now  lia- 
ble to  sudden  and  serious  mutations  He  is  born, 
he  weeps,  he  grows,  he  sleeps,  he  eats,  he  drinks, 
he  rejoices,  he  mourns,  he  is  sick,  he  is  well,  he 
lives  and  he  dies.  His  life  is  sure  of  nothing  but 
sin,  and  pain,  and  change.  The  infant,  the  boy,  the 
youth,  the  man  and  the  aged  sire,  though  the  same 
person,  frequently  cannot  be  recognized,  even  by 
maternal  love.  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  glory 
of  man  as  the  flower  of  the  field.  We  all  do  fade 
as  a  leaf.  Our  foundation  is  in  the  dust.  Our  clays 
are  as  an  handbreadth.  Seconds,  minutes,  hours 
and  days,  yea,  months,  years,  centuries  and  cycles 
arc  passing  with  incredi-ble  speed.  The  fact  that 
we  have  lived  long  tells  the  reason  why  we  must  die 
soon.  "Life  is  all  expenditure.  We  have  it,  but 
as  continually  losing  it."     Men  count  since  the  crea- 


UNCHANGING  AND    UNFAILING.  37 

tion  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  generations,  who 
have  already  passed  through  time  into  eternity. 

Man's  knowledge  is  almost  as  variable  as  his  life. 
None  was  ever  more  than  once  a  man,  but  many  a 
one  has  been  twice  a  child.  Every  man  at  fifty  has 
forgotten  more  than  he  knows. 

Man's  judgments  of  a  thousand  things  vary  with 
his  age,  his  experience,  his  instruction  and  his  tem- 
perament. In  youth  he  believes  almost  everything 
told  him  by  respectable  people.  In  middle  age  he 
suspects  the  truth  of  half  he  hears.  In  old  age  he 
believes  hardly  anything  unless  he  is  a  Christian  and 
believes  God's  word.  All  merely  human  knowledge 
is  fleeting. 

Even  the  greatest  material  structures  of  mortals 
vanish  away.  Where  is  the  tower  of  Babel  ?  To 
whom  or  of  what  are  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  a  mon- 
ument ?  The  evershifting  sands  of  Africa  threaten 
to  bury  them  up.  "Where  are  Tyre  and  Bagdad  and 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  ?  Presently  all  these  mate- 
rial structures  and  the  everlasting  mountains  and  the 
perpetual  hills  shall  melt  like  wax  and  consume  into 
smoke  before  the  all-dissolving  heat  of  the  last  con- 
flagration. 

Nor  are  earthly  political  fabrics  more  stable. 
Four  universal  monarchies  have  risen,  and  crumbled, 
and  disappeared.  Not  a  vestige  of  them  remains. 
The  world  is  this  day  as  quiet,  as  if  it  had  never  felt 
the  footsteps,  nor  feared  the  stroke  of  Pharaoh, 
Nebuchadnezzar,  Belshazzar,  Sennacherib,  Alex- 
ander, Csesar,  Charlemagne  or  Aleric.  No  man 
cares  for  them  now.  No  man  fears  them  now. 
4* 


38  THE    SCRIPTURE    IS 

Once  they  smote  the  earth  with  a  continual  stroke. 
They  ruled  the  nations  in  anger  ;  but  where  are  they 
now? 

Moreover,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are  transi- 
tory. They  shall  perish  and  vanish  like  smoke.  All 
nature  shall  be  dissolved,  and  time  shall  be  no  longer. 

In  the  midst  of  these  changes,  decays  and  revolu- 
tions, the  mind  eagerly  looks  around  for  something 
solid,  stable,  permanent.  And  what  does  it  find  ? 
It  hears  a  voice  saying  :  "I  am  the  Lord  ;  I  change 
not."  It  looks  further  and  finds  this  unchangeable 
Jehovah  saying,  "  My  counsel,  it  shall  stand."  Then 
one  inspired  writer  says  :  * '  For  ever,  0  Lord,  thy 
word  is  settled  in  heaven,"  (Ps.  119  :  89  ;)  another  : 
"  The  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  for  ever,"  (Isa. 
40  :  8  ;)  another  :  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  endureth 
for  ever,"(l  Peter  1 :  25  ;)  and  then  from  the  lips  of 
the  Son  of  God  comes  forth  the  blessed  assurance  : 
"My  words  shall  not  pass  away,"  (Luke  21 :  33.) 
Blessed  be  God !  there  is  something  fixed,  something 
reliable.     Let  us  look  at  a  few  particulars. 

1.  The  rule  of  duty  is,  and  ever  will  be,  unchange- 
able. Jesus  himself  said  :  * '  Till  heaven  and  earth 
pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from 
the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled."  (Matt,  5  :  18  ;  Luke 
16  :  17.)  The  context  shows  that  Christ  was  speak- 
ing of  the  moral  law.  Being  perfect,  it  could  not 
be  changed  but  for  the  worse.  It  is,  and  was,  and 
ever  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  rational  creatures  to  love 
(;<><!  with  all  the  heart,  mind,  soul  and  strength,  and 
their  fellows  as  themselves.  This  is  the  law  in  hea- 
ven and  on  earth.     To  disregard  it  anywhere  is  sin. 


UNCHANGING    AND    UNFAILING.  39 

To  obey  it  everywhere  is  a  duty.     Blessed  be  God ! 
his  law  is  eternal. 

2.  And  his  gospel  is  everlasting.  (Rev.  4:6.) 
It  is  unchangeably  true  that  the  soul  that  sinneth  it 
shall  die.  It  is  as  unalterably  certain  that  he  who 
looks  to  Jesus,  and  believes  and  rests  on  him  alone 
for  salvation,  shall  be  saved.  The  blood  of  the  lamb 
or  bullock  offered  in  sacrifice  must  be  used  for 
sprinkling,  while  it  was  warm,  else  it  was  unfit  for 
the  service.  But  the  blood  of  Christ  shall  never 
lose  its  atoning  power,  his  merits  never  lose  their 
value,  his  intercession  never  lose  its  prevalence. 
From  age  to  age,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  for 
ever,  Jesus  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life ; 
the  surety  of  his  people,  the  one  shepherd,  the  sole 
and  sufficient  author  of  salvation,  the  only  and  the 
sure  foundation  on  which  a  sinner  may  build  his 
hopes  for  eternity. 

3.  In  like  manner  all  the  promises  of  God  are 
unchangeable.  Whatever  God  freely  engaged  to  do 
or  to  give  to  believers  under  former  dispensations 
he  fulfils  to  his  people  under  the  gospel ;  and  all  the 
covenant  engagements  with  believers  made  person- 
ally by  Christ,  and  through  his  apostles,  shall  also 
stand  for  ever  ;  for  * 8  God,  willing  more  abundantly 
to  shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of 
his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath,  that  by  two 
immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible  for 
God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who 
have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set 
before  us."  (Heb.  6  :  17,  18.)  The  amazing  full- 
ness and  unchanging  stability  of  the  promises  render 


40  THE   SCRIPTURE   IS 

doubt  unreasonable  and  despondency  sinful ;  for  they 
are  fixed  as  the  throne  of  God,  and  the  believer  may 
shout  and  make  his  boast  in  the  Lord  for  ever  ;  for 
he  hath  spoken  good  concerning  his  saints,  and 
peace  concerning  all  the  meek  of  the  earth. 

4.  Nor  are  God's  threatenings  variable.  They 
speak  a  terrible  language,  the  more  terrible  because 
perfectly  just.  The  fufilling  of  God's  threatenings 
is  necessary  in  many  ways  to  the  comfort  of  the 
saints.  One  of  them  is  that  the  "wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  hell."  If  God  executes  not  this  awful 
sentence,  we  can  have  no  certainty  that  even  in  a 
future  state  the  wicked  shall  cease  from  troubling, 
and  the  weary  shall  be  at  rest.  Read  the  minatory 
clauses  God  has  uttered  against  idolatry,  Sabbath 
breaking  and  filial  impiety  ;  against  profaneness, 
murder,  adultery,  lying,  covetousness  and  unbelief, 
and  know  that  they  are  righteous,  and  will  surely  be 
executed ;  and  then  judge  if  it  is  wise  to  do  aught 
presumptuously  or  to  live  like  a  beast  and  sin  like  a 
devil. 

5.  Nor  are  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  variable. 
Some  books  of  the  Bible  are  more  full  and  satisfac- 
tory than  others  on  particular  matters  ;  but  there  is 
no  contradiction,  and  there  is  no  variation.  From 
first  to  last  the  sacred  writers  maintain  the  unity  of 
God,  subsisting  in  a  Trinity  of  persons,  the  Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  They  as  clearly  teach  the 
infinitude  of  his  being  and  perfections.  They  as- 
sert not  only  his  freedom  from  passions  and  bodily 
parts,  but  his  absolute  and  uncreated  spirituality, 
his  immensity,  eternity,  omnipotence,  omnipresence, 


UNCHANGING   AND    UNFAILING.  41 

omniscience,  holiness,  love,  sovereignty  and  right- 
eousness.   They  declare  that  he  is  gracious,  merciful, 
long  suffering,  abundant  in  goodness  and  faitliful- 
ness,  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression  and  sin  ;  hating 
evil,  loving  purity,  rewarding  the  upright,  punishing 
the  guilty,  self-existent,  and  consequently  indepen- 
dent, an  infallible  and  glorious  God.     They  as  clearly 
assert  that  he  governs  the  world,  and  that  by  a  plan 
wise  and  perfect  j  that  he  controls  everything  to  the 
good  of  his  people,  and  the  glory  of  his  name  ;  that 
saints  and  angels,  men  and  devils,  all  causes  and  all 
agents,  yea,  and  chance  itself,  are  under  his  control. 
They  also  teach,  without  variation,  that  man  is  by 
nature  a  sinner,  lost,  guilty  and  helpless  ;  and  that 
his  recovery  is  entirely  by  the  mediation  and  finished 
work  of  Christ  the  Mediator,  and  by  the  power  Of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  justification  is  free,  by  grace 
alone  ;  that  regeneration  is  renewal  by  the  efficiency 
of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  the  only  standard  of  holi- 
ness is  the  moral  law ;  that  he,  who  hates  not  and 
shuns  not  sin,  is  an  enemy  of  God,  and  that  perse- 
verance in  holiness  is  essential  to  salvation.     In  like 
manner  all  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  are  unvarying. 
6.    So  also  the  prophecies  of  Scripture  are  always 
fulfilled.    Appearances  may  deceive  some  ;  but  when 
did  an  inspired  prediction  fail  ?     Yonder  is  Tyre,  the 
emporium  of  Phoenicia,  and  mistress  of  the  com- 
merce between  the  oriental  and  western  world.     She 
sits  like   a  queen   on  the   sea.     She  is  proud  and 
defiant.     She  exults  at  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem. 
A  prophet  of  Jehovah,  B.  C.  588  years,  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  cries,  "Tyre  shall  be  a  place  for  the 


42  THE    SCRIPTURE    IS 

spreading  of  nets  in  the  midst  of  the  sea."  (Ezek. 
26  :  5,  14.  No  star  shoots  angrily  across  the  hea- 
vens ;  no  volcanic  eruption  makes  the  earth  reel  and 
stagger  like  a  drunken  man  ;  no  eclipse  covers  the 
sun  in  sackcloth  ;  hut  the  doom  of  Tyre  is  sealed. 
Down  she  goes,  and  no  power  can  save  her.  For 
centuries  down  to  this  day,  travellers  who  have  vis- 
ited the  site  of  this  former  mistress  of  commerce, 
have  seen  nothing  more  inviting  than  a  few  wretched 
fishermen's  huts,  with  a  few  fish  and  nets  spread 
out  to  dry.  "Look  at  Babylon,"  says  President 
Hopkins,  "Who  is  it  that  stands  before  its  walls 
and  utters  its  doom  ?  It  is  a  despised  Jew.  And 
who  is  he  that  walks  in  pride  upon  these  walls,  and 
as  he  points  to  that  mighty  city  as  the  centre  of 
civilization  and  power,  as  combining  every  advan- 
tage of  climate  and  of  commerce,  mocks  at  that 
doom  ?  It  is  a  politician  of  those  days.  The  voice 
of  the  prophet  is  uttered  and  it  seems  to  pass  idly  upon 
the  wind.  The  eye  of  sense  sees  no  effect.  No 
clouds  gather,  no  lightnings  descend.  But  that  voice 
was  not  in  vain.  The  waters  of  desolation  heard  it 
in  their  distant  caves,  and  never  ceased  to  rise  till 
they  had  whelmed  palace,  and  tower,  and  temple  in 
one  undistinguished  ruin.  Even  now  that  voice 
abides  there,  and  hangs  as  a  spirit  of  the  air  over  the 
desolation,  and  the  Arabian  hears  it,  warning  him 
not  to  pitch  his  tent  there  ;  and  the  wild  beast  of  the 
desert,  and  the  owl  and  the  satyr  hear  it,  and  come 
up  and  dwell  and  dance  there." 

Then  we  have  prophecies  partly  fulfilled,  yet  to  be 
followed  in  due  time  by  great  enlargement.     Such 


UNCHANGING   AND    UNFAILING.  43 

are  those  concerning  the  calling  of  the  nations  to 
embrace  the  gospel.  Such  is  the  prediction  of  our 
Saviour  respecting  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  an 
event  so  dreadful  that  it  finds  its  antitype  only  in  the 
end  of  the  world,  into  which  Christ  merges  it.  The 
first  has  been  fulfilled  to  a  jot  and  tittle.  The  latter 
shall  be.  So  true  is  every  inspired  prediction  that 
one  may  as  reasonably  expect  the  throne  of  God  to 
crumble  and  fall,  as  for  one  word  of  good  or  evil 
foretold  ever  to  vary,  ever  to  fail.  "  God  cannot 
lie." 

The  reason  of  this  stability  in  the  Scriptures  is 
found  in  three  great  facts.  One  is,  that  God  him- 
self is  the  same.  In  God  is  nothing  varying. 
"  Thou  art  the  same,"  is  a  great  truth  and  a  great 
fact.  With  the  Most  High  is  no  variableness  nor 
shadow  of  turning. 

Another  is,  that  truth  is  ever  the  same.  Error 
and  falsehood  are  ever  shifting  like  sands  in  the 
desert,  like  clouds  in  the  sky.  But  truth  is  immuta- 
ble. Fashions  may  change,  governments  be  remod- 
elled, and  empires  waste  away ;  but  truth,  simple 
and  candid,  bold  and  upright,  is  subject  to  no  muta- 
tions. ISTo  state  of  case  can  ever  make  two  and  two 
five.  Do  what  you  will,  it  is  of  the  very  nature  of 
fire  to  burn.  It  is  no  less  certain  that  the  nature  of 
sin  is  to  kill  the  soul,  and  of  obedience  to  God  to  be 
the  highest  wisdom,  as  well  as  a  binding  duty. 

The  third  is,  that  God's  honour  is  at  stake.  His 
whole  nature  stands  pledged  to  fulfil  all  he  has 
spoken.  His  glory  lies  very  near  his  heart.  He 
can  never  be  indifferent  to  the  just  judgment  formed 


44  THE   SCRIPTURE   IS 

of  him  by  his  creatures.  He  is  able  to  do  all  he 
has  promised  or  threatened.  He  has  wisdom  enough 
to  subvert  all  the  devices  of  his  enemies.  He  has 
inflexible  justice,  and  so  he  can  never  swerve  from 
what  is  right.  His  mercy  is  as  large  as  his  holiness 
is  spotless.  All  his  attributes  are  perfections  ;  all 
support  his  throne  ;  all  maintain  his  word.     "  God 

CANNOT  LIE." 

REMARKS. 

1.  Base  is  the  sin  and  frightful  is  the  power  of 
unbelief.  We  receive  the  witness  of  men,  yet  the 
witness  of  God  is  greater.  He  can  neither  deceive 
nor  be  deceived.  Yet  how  slow  are  men  to  credit 
his  words.  Lord,  increase  our  faith.  For  Jesus' 
sake  by  the  power  of  thy  spirit  break  the  strength 
of  our  wicked  incredulity.  "  Power  to  conform  the 
understanding,  will  and  heart  to  Scripture,  is  as 
much  a  gift  from  heaven  as  Scripture  itself." 

2.  If  such  are  the  facts  of  the  case,  then  unbelief 
is  as  dangerous  as  it  is  sinful.  That  lord  of  Sama- 
ria, who  would  not  credit  the  word  of  Jehovah,  was 
trodden  down  in  the  gate  and  terribly  perished  for  his 
sin.  God  will  not  excuse  or  connive  at  any  question- 
ing of  his  veracity.  To  doubt  his  word  is  to  im- 
peach his  truth.  To  disbelieve  his  oath  is  to  accuse 
him  of  perjury.  0,  let  the  potsherd  strive  with  the 
potsherds  of  the  earth;  but  wo  to  him  that  striv- 
eth  with  his  Maker. 

8.  It  is  wise  ever  and  unfalteringly  to  trust  God, 
and  rely  on    his   word.     He   never   deceives.     To 


UNCHANGING   AND    UNFAILING.  45 

faith  lie  always  gives  what  it  asks,  or  something 
better.  On  his  dying  bed  Payson  said  to  his  daugh- 
ter :  "  You  will  avoid  much  pain  and  anxiety,  if 
you  will  learn  to  trust  all  your  concerns  in  God's 
hands.  '  Cast  all  your  care  upon  him,  for  he 
careth  for  you.'  But  if  you  merely  go  and  say  that 
you  cast  your  care  upon  him,  you  will  come  away 
with  the  load  on  your  shoulders."  How  can  a  worm 
carry  mountains  unless  God  holds  him  up  and  girds 
him  with  might  ? 

4.  Eternal  things  may  well  rest  with  a  vast  weight 
on  the  mind  of  a  wise  man.  What  are  the  fleeting 
vanities  of  earth  compared  with  the  durable  realities 
of  the  world  to  come  ?  This  life  is  a  dream.  The 
next,  so  clearly  revealed  in  Scripture,  has  the  attri- 
bute of  eternity. 

The  past,  where  is  it  ?    It  has  fled. 
The  future  ?    It  may  never  come. 
Our  friends  departed  ?    With  the  dead. 
Ourselves  ?    Fast  hastening  to  the  tomb. 
"What  are  earth's  joys  ?     The  dews  of  morn. 
Its  honours  ?     Ocean's  wreathing  foam. 
Where's  peace  ?     In  trials  meekly  borne. 
And  joy  ?    In  heaven,  the  Christian's  home. 


46  god's  nature  and   ways 


CHAPTER  IV. 

god's  nature  and  ways  are  unsearchable. 

Because  the  nature  of  God  is  the  foundation  of 
all  true  religion,  and  his  will  the  rule  of  all  accep- 
table worship,  the  knowledge  of  him  is  of  the 
greatest  importance.  "Without  it  the  people  perish. 
Total  ignorance  here  is  total  ruin.  But  to  know 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  sent,  is  eternal 
life.  To  see  and  acknowledge  God  in  all  our  ways 
is  an  essential  part  of  genuine  piety.  To  fail  in  so 
doing  is  no  small  part  of  human  wickedness.  Our 
thoughts  cannot  he  too  devoutly  turned  to  him,  who 
is  in  all,  and  through  all,  and  above  all,  and  over 
all,  God  blessed  forever. 

Nor  is  the  mysteriousness  of  the  divine  nature 
and  government  any  reason  why  we  should  not  seek 
to  learn  what  may  be  known  concerning  them.  To 
the  carnal  and  unbelieving  the  darkness  around  the 
nature  and  ways  of  God  is  an  occasion  of  stumb- 
ling ;  but  to  those  who  are  taught  from  above,  it 
brings  pious  confidence,  deep  humility  and  adoring 
reverence.  Give  one  the  spirit  of  adoption  and  self- 
renunciation,  and  he  cannot  be  frightened  from  the 
presence  of  his  Maker,  either  by  the  lustre  or  the  dark- 
ness round  about  his  throne.  Sages  have  explored 
this  subject  till  wisdom  fell  asleep  over  her  lesson, 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  47 

and  pride  rose  up  and  uttered  great  swelling  words 
of  vanity  and  blasphemy ;  but  the  humble  child  of 
God,  thirsting  for  divine  knowledge  and  sitting  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  has  learned  more  than  the  ancients, 
and  has  become  wTise  unto  salvation." 

In  the  nature  and  ways  of  God,  there  is  much 
that  is  incomprehensible.  This  ought  neither  to 
be  denied  nor  doubted ;  For, 

1.  It  is  agreed  on  all  hands  that  the  adorable  first 
person  of  the  Trinity,  the  Father,  is,  and  must  ever 
be  beyond  the  grasp  of  our  senses  and  faculties. 
He  is  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisible.  No 
man  has  seen  God  at  any  time.  No  man  can  see 
his  face  and  live.  He  makes  darkness  his  pavil- 
ions round  about  him,  dark  waters,  and  thick 
clouds  of  the  skies. 

It  is  alike  true  that  the  third  person  of  the  God- 
head, the  Holy  Ghost,  is,  and  ever  will  be  beyond 
the  direct  and  immediate  notice  of  all  creatures. 
"The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  near- 
est the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it 
cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth :  so  is  every  one  that 
is  born  of  the  Spirit."  He  broods  over  the  face  of 
nature ;  garnishes  the  heavens ;  converts  the  soul ; 
opens  our  eyes  that  we  may  behold  wondrous  things 
out  of  God's  word ;  sanctifies  our  affections  ;  fills 
the  saints  with  joy ;  fits  God's  people  for  glory ; 
divides  his  gifts  severally  as  he  will ;  and  yet  we 
"know  not  the  way  of  the  Spirit."  We  never  saw 
him,  and  we- never  shall  see  him,  as  disembodied 
spirits  see  each  other.  We  may  know  him  by 
his  word  and  works,  by  his  enlightening,  sanctify- 


48  god's  nature  and  ways 

ing  and  comforting  influences,  but  never  by  sight 
or  sense.  He  is  far  beyond  the  grasp  of  both  our 
bodily  and  mental  faculties. 

!  The  brightest  manifestation  of  the  Godhead  ever 
yet  made,  or  ever  to  be  made,  is  in  and  by  the  incar- 
nation of  the  Son  of  God,  the  second  person  in  the 
Trinity.  We  may  behold  his  glory,  the  glory  as 
of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth.  But  we  can  go  no  further.  For  all  practi- 
cal purposes  this  manifestation  is  sufficient.  It  is 
clear  and  glorious,  yet  not  intolerable  by  reason  of 
excessive  brightness.  Christ  said,  "He  that  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father."  Thus  he  taught 
us  that  the  best  possible  discovery  we  could  make  of 
the  divinity,  was  through  the  veil  of  his  own  flesh. 
But  even  in  Christ  the  Godhead  shone  forth  under 
great  obscuration.  The  transfiguration,  the  ascen- 
sion in  a  bright  cloud,  his  appearance  to  Saul  of 
Tarsus  after  his  ascension,  and  the  glory,,  la  which 
John  the  divine  saw  him  many  yearn  later,  may 
give  us  some  faint  conception  of  the  effulgence  of 
his  everlasting  person.  But  mortals  know  him 
chiefly  by  his  works,  teachings  and  sufferings. 
Thousands  saw  him  with  their  bodily  eyes,  and 
knew  no  more  of  God  than  before.  So  that  we 
may  safely  say  that  God  is,  and  ever  shall  be,  wholly 
unperceivable  by  any  of  our  senses  or  faculties.  If 
any  object  that  it  is  promised  that  the  pure  in  heart 
"shall  see  God;"  but  that  does  not  teach  that  they 
shall  meet  God  face  to  face,  and  behold  his  unveiled 
divinity  ;  but  that  they  shall  enjoy  God  as  revealed 
in  his  word,  and  works,  and  ordinances,  in  the  per- 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  49 

son  of  his  Son,  and  by  the  power  of  bis  Spirit. 
In  Scripture,  to  "Bee  good  days,"  is  to  enjoy  them; 
and  to  "gee  life,"  is  to  enjoy  life.  Now  whatever 
eludes  all  our  senses  and  faculties,  is  to  us  necessa- 
rily clad  with  mysteriousness.  Whatever  is  con- 
cealed from  every  perceptive  power,  excludes  the 
possibilty  of  original  knowledge.  In  such  case, 
learning  without  instruction  is  impossible.  The  dif- 
ficulty increases  every  step  we  take  towards  that 
which  is  in  its  nature  boundless.  But  when  our 
thoughts  go  out  after  him,  who  is  absolutely  infi- 
nite, we  are  soon  wrapped  in  an  obscurity  which  no 
created  faculties  can  penetrate. 

2.  The  unsearchableness  of  God's  nature  and 
ways  is  often  asserted  in  Scripture.  A  short  selec- 
tion of  pertinent  texts  is  sufficient  to  establish  this 
point:  "Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God? 
canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  uuto  perfection  ? 
It  is  high  as  heaven ;  what  canst  thou  do  ?  deeper 
than  hell ;  what  canst  thou  know  ?  The  measure 
thereof  is  longer  than  the  earth,  and  broader  than 
the  sea :  God  doeth  great  things  and  unsearchable, 
marvellous  things  without  number :  He  is  wise  in 
heart  and  mighty  in  strength ;  He  doeth  great 
things  past  finding  out,  yea,  and  wonders  without 
number :  How  little  a  portion  is  heard  of  him  :  He 
giveth  not  account  of  any  of  his  matters :  We  can- 
not order  our  speech  by  reason  of  darkness :  With 
God  is  terrible  majesty:  Touching  the  Almighty 
we  cannot  find  him  out:  He  is  excellent  in  power, 
and  in  judgment,  and  in  plenty  of  justice:  Behold 
God  is  great,  and  we  know  him  not:  Great  things 
6* 


50  god's  nature  and  ways 

doeth  be,  which  we  cannot  comprehend:  Secret 
things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God  :  Thy  judg- 
ments are  a  great  deep :  Thy  way  is  in  the  sea,  and 
thy  path  in  the  great  waters,  and  thy  footsteps  are 
not  known  :  Great  is  our  Lord,  and  of  great  power : 
His  understanding  is  infinite  :  No  man  can  find  out 
the  work  that  God  doeth  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end :  Thou  knowest  not  the  works  of  God  who 
maketh  all :  The  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain 
thee:  It  is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  thing: 
Verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  thyself,  0  God 
of  Israel,  the  Saviour :  There  is  no  searching  of  his 
understanding :  Who  hath  stood  in  the  counsel  of 
the  Lord?  No  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the 
Father ;  neither  knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save 
the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  shall  reveal 
him:  What  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man 
save  the  spirit  of  man  which  is  in  him?  even  so 
the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit 
of  God :  Who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  ? 
or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor  ?  Great  and  mar- 
vellous are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty;  just 
and  true  are  thy  ways,   thou  King  of  saints." 

Here  we  have  the  words  of  Moses,  David,  Asaph, 
Solomon,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  the  Lord  Jesus,  Paul 
and  John.  From  the  beginning  to  the  close  of 
canonical  Scripture,  the  doctrine  is  the  same.  The 
coming  of  Christ  did  not  remove  the  mysteriousness 
of  Jehovah's  nature  and  ways,  but  rather  established 
it.  It  opened  to  our  vision  amazing  fields  of  thought, 
and  gave  us  new  and  everlasting  themes  of  adoring 
wonder.     God  manifest  in  the  flesh  was,  and  is,  and 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  51 

ever  shall  be,  the  sublimes*  of  all  mysteries.  "Noth- 
ing but  itself  is  its  parallel. "  Yet  no  where  in  Scrip- 
ture is  the  incomprehensibility  of  God  spoken  of  as 
cause  of  sorrow  to  the  pious.  On  the  contrary,  in- 
spired men  exult  in  it  and  give  thanks.  Nor  can 
the  doctrine  alarm  or  distress  one,  whose  hope  is 
set  on  high,  and  whose  mind  has  learned  to  bow  in 
true  humility  before  the  divine  majesty.  One  of 
the  passages  cited  shows  that  our  inability  to  find 
out  the  Almighty  to  perfection,  is  not  merely  moral, 
but  natural.  The  same  would  have  been  true  if 
man  had  never  sinned.  The  text  from  the  Apocalypse 
is  part  of  a  song  sung  in  heaven.  This  proves  that 
even  the  perfection  of  heavenly  bliss  does  not  require 
the  comprehension  of  God's  nature  and  ways.  A 
part  of  celestial  happiness  consists  in  worshipping 
him,  who  maketh  darkness  his  secret  place. 

3.  So  very  wonderful  are  the  perfections  of  God, 
that  his  nature  and  ways  must  always  be  mysteri- 
ous in  proportion  to  our  knowledge  of  their  extent. 
God  is  infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable,  and  so,  per- 
fect in  his  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice, 
goodness  and  truth.  All  men  and  angels  are  finite, 
of  yesterday,  liable  to  change,  and  of  themselves — 
without  God — have  neither  wisdom,  nor  virtue,  nor 
strength.  Man  is  the  lowest  order  of  rational  beings, 
and  has  by  sin  greatly  debased  himself.  He  is  sadly 
blinded  by  passion  and  prejudice.  "Everyman  is 
brutish  in  his  knowledge."  How  then  should  man 
have  much  or  accurate  acquaintance  with  any  thing 
bo  inscrutable  as  the  divine  nature  ?  Our  elder  and 
nobler  brethren,  the  elect  angels,  who  have  for  thou- 


52  god's  nature  and  ways 

sands  of  years  stood  around  the  throne  of  the  Eter- 
nal, and  drunk  of  the  river  of  truth  as  it  flows  fresh 
from  its  fountain,  are  yet,  as  compared  with  God, 
foolish  and  ignorant.  '  'He  ehargeth  his  angels  with 
folly."  "Though  glorious  and  holy  creatures,  they 
are  fallible  and  mutable,  except  as  upheld  and  con- 
firmed by  the  Lord.  They  execute  his  wise  and 
righteous  counsels  ;  but  would  soon  show  their  want 
of  wisdom,  if  trusted  to  manage  any  part  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  world,  according  to  their  own  mind. 
Kay,  compared  with  the  infinite  knowledge  and  wis- 
dom of  God,  they  are  chargeable  with  ignorance,  be- 
ing utterly  unable  to  comprehend  the  vast  designs  of 
the  great  Creator  and  Lord  of  the  universe ;  except 
as  he  pleases  to  unfold  them.  How  much  less  then 
may  man  be  trusted."  God's  plans  embrace  all  crea- 
tures and  all  worlds.  They  comprehend  the  whole 
universe.  The  greatest  stretch  of  the  human  mind 
never  embraced  all  the  affairs  of  an  empire,  a  pro- 
vince, a  city,  a  family,  or  even  of  a  person.  God's 
plans  are  founded  on  the  most  perfect  knowledge  of 
all  things.  Man's  information  is,  both  in  scope  and 
degree,  very  imperfect.  It  would  be  prodigious  if 
a  little  child  should  understand  all  the  measures  of  a 
wise  king.  Yet  this  would  be  but  one  finite  creature 
comprehending  the  measures  of  another.  But 
for  any  creature  to  know  God's  entire  plans 
would  be  for  finite  to  understand  infinite.  Until 
man  can  hold  the  sea  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
measure  the  azure  vault  of  heaven  with  a  carpen- 
ter's rule,  sweep  the  outskirts  of  creation  with  a 
compass  of  his  own  making,  and  tell  all  the  worlds, 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  53 

and  give  their  number,  weight  and  measure,  let  not 
his  arrogance  swell  to  the  monstrous  bloating  of 
imagining  that  he  can  comprehend  God.  If  he 
does  not  know  all  things  formed,  how  can  he  search 
out  him  that  formed  them? 

Man  may  follow  Methuselah  through  his  long 
career,  but  at  last  he  dies.  Man  may  compute  the 
number  of  seconds  in  a  myriad  of  millions  of  cen- 
turies, but  that  is  not  eternity.  God's  life  time  has 
neither  beginning  nor  end.  "  The  number  of  his 
years  cannot  be  searched  out."  "  Before  the  moun- 
tains were  brought  forth,  or  ever  thou  haclst  formed 
the  earth  and  world,  even  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting thou  art  God."  "Thy  years  are  throughout 
all  generations.  Of  old  hast  thou  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  earth  ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of 
thy  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but  thou  shalt  en- 
dure ;  yea,  all  of  them  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment ; 
as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  change  them,  and  they  shall 
be  changed  ;  but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years 
shall  have  no  end."  "  One  day  is  with  the  Lord  as 
a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day." 
A  late  writer  says  :  "  While  the  spirituality  of  God's 
nature  places  him  beyond  the  reach  of  our  direct 
cognizance,  there  are  certain  other  essential  proper- 
ties of  his  nature,  which  place  him  beyond  the 
reach  of  our  possible  comprehension.  Let  me  in- 
stance the  past  eternity  of  the  Godhead.  One  might 
figure  a  futurity  that  never  ceases  to  flow,  and  which 
has  no  termination,  but  who  can  climb  his  ascending 
way  among  the  obscurities  of  that  infinite  which  is 
behind  him  ?     Who  can  travel  in  thought  along  the 


54  god's   nature  and  ways 

track  of  generations  gone  by  till  lie  has  overtaken 
the  Eternity,  which  lies  in  that  direction  ?  Who 
can  look  across  the  millions  of  ages  which  have 
elapsed,  and  from  an  ulterior  post  of  observation 
look  again  to  another  and  another  succession  of  cen- 
turies ;  and  at  each  further  extremity  in  this  series 
of  retrospects,  stretch  backward  his  regards  on  an 
antiquity  as  remote  and  indefinite  as  ever  ?  Could 
we  by  any  number  of  successive  strides  over  these 
mighty  intervals,  at  length  reach  the  fountain-head 
of  duration,  our  spirits  might  be  at  rest.  But  to 
think  of  duration  as  having  no  fountain-head ;  to 
think  of  time  with  no  beginning ;  to  uplift  the 
imagination  along  the  heights  of  an  antiquity, 
which  hath  positively  no  summit ;  to  soar  these  up- 
ward steeps  till,  dizzied  by  the  altitude,  we  can  keep 
no  longer  on  the  wing ;  for  the  mind  to  make  these 
repeated  flights  from  one  pinnacle  to  another ;  and, 
instead  of  scaling  the  mysterious  elevation,  to  lie 
baffled  at  its  feet,  or  lose  itself  among  the  far,  the 
long  withdrawing  recesses  of  that  primeval  distance, 
which  at  length  merges  away  into  a  fathomless  un- 
known, this  is  an  exercise  utterly  discomfiting  to  the 
puny  faculties  of  man.  We  are  called  on  to  stir 
ourselves  up  that  we  may  take  hold  of  God,  but  the 
clouds  and  darkness  which  are  round  about  him, 
seem  to  repel  the  enterprise  as  hopeless,  and  man, 
as  if  overborne  by  a  sense  of  littleness,  feels  as  if 
nothing  can  be  done  but  to  make  prostrate  obeisance 
of  all  his  faculties  before  him."  If  man  cannot 
compute  the  lifetime  of  God,  how  can  he  compre- 
hend his  plans?     If  he  cannot  take  the  dimensions 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  55 

of  that  Eternity,  which  is  Jehovah's  habitation,  how 
can  he  search  out  him  who  dwelleth  therein  ?  "An 
eternity  past  puzzles  all  human  comprehension." 
Yet  an  eternity  to  come,  if  duly  considered,  no  less 
completely  eludes  our  grasp.  It  is  an  important 
truth  that  i  i  though  we  cannot  comprehend  eternity, 
yet  we  can  comprehend  that  there  is  an  eternity." 
At  this  plain  truth  we  must  stop. 

Think,  too,  of  God's  omnipresence.  He  is  every- 
where. He  fills  immensity.  He  is  a  spirit,  and  so 
cannot  be  divided  ;  yet  he  is  always  present  in  every 
part  of  the  universe  with  the  whole  of  his  being  and 
nature.  He  is  an  infinite  spirit,  and  so  no  limits 
can  bound  him.  < '  He  is  not  far  from  every  one  of 
us  ;  for  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being."  "He  is  a  very  present  help  in  time  of 
trouble."  "Am  I  a  God  at  hand,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  not  a  God  afar  off?  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and 
earth,  saith  the  Lord  ?"  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from 
thy  Spirit?  or  whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  pre- 
sence ?  If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there  : 
if  I  make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold,  thou  art  there. 
If  I  take  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea  ;  even  there  shall  thy 
hand  lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me." 
The  sun  is  distant  from  the  earth  ninety-jive  millions 
of  miles  ;  but  ninety-five  millions  of  times  ninety-five 
millions  of  miles  beyond  the  sun,  and  in  every  other 
direction,  God  is  as  truly  present  as  in  heaven  itself. 
Light  travels  at  the  rate  of  more  than  one  hundred 
and  ninety-two  thousand  miles  every  second  ;  yet  there 
are  stars  so  distant  that  if  a  ray  of  light  had  left 


56  god's  nature  and  ways. 

them  on  the  morning  that  the  Israelites  went  out  of 
Egypt,  it  would  not  yet  have  reached  our  world. 
Over  the  vast  blazing  universe  above  us  and  around 
us  Jehovah  presides.  There  may  be  points,  beyond 
which  there  are  no  inhabited  worlds,  yet  who  dare 
assert  even  that  ?  But  space  has  no  limits.  Im- 
mensity has  no  walls,  outside  of  which  nonentity 
has  her  kingdom.  "  Who  is  like  unto  the  Lord  our 
Gocl,  who  dwelleth  on  high,  who  hunibleth  himself 
to  behold  the  things  that  are  in  heaven  and  in  the 
earth  ?"  The  other  natural  perfections  of  God  are 
no  less  admirable  and  incomprehensible  than  those 
already  noticed. 

But  the  moral  character  of  God  presents,  if  pos- 
sible, still  greater  wonders.  At  the  close  of  a  long 
and  lucid  argument  respecting  it,  even  blessed  Paul 
could  do  no  more  than  say,  "0  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  ! 
how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out."  Jesus  Christ,  when  on  earth,  was 
actuated  by  very  similar  sentiments.  * '  In  that  hour 
Jesus  rejoiced  in  spirit,  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  0 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast 
hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  babes  :  even  so,  Father,  for  so  it 
seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  Now,  if  the  contem- 
plation of  God's  moral  character  produced  such 
exclamations  from  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  and  from 
his  servant  Paul,  it  must  be  a  theme  of  the  most 
exalted  nature.  It  is  while  speaking  of  his  own 
moral  character,  and,  especially  of  his  amazing 
mercy,  that  God  says  :   '<  My  thoughts  are  not  your 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  57 

thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the 
Lord.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth 
so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my 
thoughts  than  your  thoughts."  The  same  remark 
is  as  true  of  God's  holiness,  justice,  goodness,  truth 
and  faithfulness.  Indeed,  all  God's  moral  character  is 
presented  to  our  admiration,  in  the  person  and  work 
of  Jesus  Christ,  in  such  a  glorious  manner,  as  to 
have  tilled  heaven  and  earth  with  joy  ever  since  the 
plan  of  redemption  was  known.  The  angels  have 
long  desired  to  look  into  these  things.  The  regene- 
rate on  earth  are  delighted  with  them,  and  the 
redeemed  in  glory  celebrate  them  for  ever  and  ever. 
God's  love  is  as  unfathomable  as  his  understanding. 
Nothing  is  more  unsearchable  than  the  riches  of 
Christ.  None  but  divinity  can  comprehend  them. 
There  is  often  a  pleasing  harmony  in  music.  There 
is  always  an  admirable  harmony  in  the  plans 
and  works  of  God.  But  the  most  delightful  and 
wonderful  harmony  is  that  of  the  divine  attributes  in 
man's  salvation.  Inflexible  justice  and  incompara- 
ble mercy,  terrible  severity  and  infinite  goodness, 
eternal  truth  and  everlasting  kindness,  spotless  holi- 
ness and  undying  faithfulness,  all  meet  around  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  kiss  and  embrace  each  other. 
No  such  glorious  concord  is  seen  elsewhere  but  in 
Jehovah  himself. 

4.  God  has  shown  himself  to  be  incomprehensi- 
ble in  his  works  of  creation.  He  doubtless  might 
have  made  more  worlds  and  more  orders  of  being 
than  he  has ;  yet  who  knows  all  the  works  that 
God  has  made  ?  There  are  known  to  be  more  than 
6 


58  god's  nature  and  ways 

eight  thousand  species  of  the  beetle  alone.  The  tribes 
of  creatures  in  our  world,  which  are  invisible  to  the 
naked  eye,  are  said  to  be  far  more  numerous  than  all 
those  which  we  can  see.  If  the  tribes  are  more 
numerous,  the  individuals  are  probably  as  hundreds 
of  millions  to  one.  There  are  supposed  to  be  per- 
ceptible by  powerful  glasses  as  many  as  three  or  four 
hundred  millions  of  fixed  stars.  If  each  of  these  is 
a  sun  and  the  centre  of  a  system  of  worlds  like  our 
own,  how  vast  is  the  universe  !  It  consists  of  mat- 
ter organized  and  unorganized,  and  of  spirit  mortal 
and  immortal.  The  Bible  does  not  deny  that  brutes 
have  something  in  their  nature  which  may  be  called 
spirit.  But  then  it  teaches  that  the  spirit  of  a  beast 
goeth  downward  to  the  earth,  and  the  spirit  of  man 
goeth  upward.  At  death  it  returns  to  God  who 
gave  it.  All  these  organisms,  animate  and  inani- 
mate, and  all  these  spirits,  mortal  and  immortal, 
wTere  called  out  of  nonentity  by  the  Almighty.  It 
is  impossible  to  conceive  of  any  exertion  of  power 
greater  than  that,  by  which  something  is  made  out 
of  nothing.  Yet  out  of  nothing  God  made  all 
things,  our  bodies  and  our  souls,  all  we  are,  all  we 
see,  all  that  is  within  us,  above  us,  beneath  us, 
around  us.  Nor  did  any  part  of  the  work  of  crea- 
tion cost  him  any  labour.  ' '  He  spake,  and  it  was 
done;  he  commanded,  and  it  stood  fast."  He  said, 
"Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light."  "lie 
stretch eth  out  the  north  over  the  empty  place,  and 
hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing."  "He  bindethup 
the  water  in  his  thick  clouds,  and  the  cloud  is  not 
rent  under  them."     "  The  pillars  of  heaven  tremble 


ARE    UNSEARCHABLE.  59 

and  are  astonished  at  his  reproof."  Nothing  is  too 
hard  for  him.  He  neither  groweth  faint  nor  is 
weary. 

Indeed  so  inscrutable  is  God  in  all  his  ways  that 
perhaps  no  heathen  ever  spoke  so  wisely  concerning 
the  divine  nature  as  Simonides,  who  being  asked  by 
Hiero,  "What  is  God?"  demanded  one  day  for 
deliberation.  When  again  asked  the  same  question, 
he  desired  two  days.  As  often  as  the  question  was 
repeated  he  doubled  the  time.  When  asked  the 
reason  of  his  conduct,  he  replied,  ' '  The  longer  I 
consider  the  question,  the  greater  is  the  darkness  in 
which  I  am  enveloped."  Ovlt  positive  knowledge  of 
God  is  very  limited.  Most  of  our  knowledge  of 
him  is  negative.  Each  of  his  perfections  will  be  a 
study  for  ever.  We  shall  never  rise  to  the  full  ele- 
vation of  this  theme.  There  will  ever  be  topless 
heights  in  divine  science,  to  which  the  saints  will 
look  up  with  inquiring  awe. 

5.  In  God's  government  are  many  things  inscru- 
tably mysterious  to  us.  God  commonly  moves  on 
the  course  of  his  providence  in  grand  and  awful 
silence.  The  motion  of  the  solar  system  does  not 
produce  as  much  noise  as  the  motion  of  a  clock. 
Then  when  he  chooses  he  thunders  in  the  heavens 
and  makes  the  earth  to  tremble  under  his  footsteps. 
Commonly  he  goes  forth  to  his  work  unobserved 
but  by  the  eye  of  faith.  Then  again  he  arrays 
himself  in  robes  of  terrible  majesty,  and  the  most 
brutish  say,  Here  is  the  finger  of  God.  In  a  thou- 
sand cases  who  can  tell  why  one  is  taken  and  another 
left,  except  that  so  it  seemed  good  to  the  Lord? 


60  god's  nature  and  ways. 

"Who  can  tell  when  a  new  cause  or  influence  goes 
forth  what  will  be  the  result,  and  when  it  will  cease 
to  operate?  Of  two  causes  or  instruments  in  God's 
empire,  who  can  tell  which  will  be  most  potent  for 
good  or  ill,  till  history  decides  ?  Then  God's  ways 
of  proceeding  are  so  amazingly  diversified  ;  some 
times  working  so  slowly  ;  then  again  cutting  short 
his  work  in  righteousness  ;  sometimes  threshing  the 
mountains  with  the  worm  Jacob  ;  then  again  mak- 
ing the  stars  fight  against  Sisera.  Then  many  an 
influence  is  put  forth,  and  we  suppose  it  has  spent  its 
force,  when  as  yet  the  terrible  rebound  has  not 
begun.  Let  the  cause  which  God  has  put  to  work, 
like  the  boomerang,  return  before  you  make  up  a 
final  judgment  upon  its  power.  Truly  God's  ways 
are  past  finding  out.  He  works,  he  hides  himself, 
he  forbears,  he  punishes,  he  pardons  and  he  deliv- 
ers like  a  God.  Jehovah  is  Lord  of  all.  He  is 
King  and  Governor ;  he  reigns  in  wisdom,  love, 
power  and  majesty.  It  is  not  necessary  for  us  to 
know  as  God  knows.  We  are  servants.  To  us 
belong  obedience,  submission,  acquiescence,  adora- 
tion ;  not  control,  revision,  or  even  scrutiny. 

NOW  UNTO  THE  KlNG  ETERNAL,  IMMORTAL,  INVIS- 
IBLE, THE  ONLY  WISE  GOD,  BE  HONOUR  AND  GLORY 
FOR   EVER   AND   EVER.       AMEN. 


PRACTICAL    REMARKS    ON    CHAPTER    IV.       61 


CHAPTER  V. 

PRACTICAL   REMARKS    ON   CHAPTER   IV. 

All  really  valuable  truths  in  religion  have  their 
practical  uses.  This  is  certainly  true  in  regard  to 
the  being,  nature  and  ways  of  God.  Let  us  look  at 
some  of  the  truths  suggested  by  the  discussion  in  the 
preceding  chapter  : 

1.  The  Christian  lives  and  walks  by  faith,  not 
by  sight.  Even  apostles  and  prophets  did  but  see 
through  a  glass  darkly.  Paul  himself  says,  "The 
life,  which  I  now  live,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God."  As,  "without  faith,  it  is  impossible 
to  please  God,"  so,  without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to 
be  pleased  with  God.  Every  approved  act  of  the 
Christian's  life  is,  in  some  sense,  a  committing  of 
his  affairs  to  the  Almighty.  One  inspired  apostle, 
speaking  of  faith,  calls  it  "precious  faith."  An- 
other says  that  the  trial  of  it  is  "much  more  pre- 
cious than  gold."  !No  marvel  that  such  commenda- 
tions are  bestowed  on  this  great  grace.  It  is  of  rare 
excellence.  Gold  perisheth.  But  faith  shall  be 
changed  into  the  beatific  vision.  Gold  is  held  alike 
by  God's  friends  and  enemies.  Faith  is  a  gift 
bestowed  on  none  but  the  elect.  Gold  is  gathered 
from  the  earth.  Faith  is  a  gift  descending  from 
heaven.  Gold  stands  us  instead  only  when  it  is 
6* 


62   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

well  with  us.  Faith  enables  us  to  walk  in  darkness, 
having  no  light,  and  yet  to  trust  in  the  Lord.  ' '  I 
had  fainted  unless  I  had  believed."  There  is  a 
sense  in  which  "gold  answers  all  things,  so  faith 
gives  the  soul  propriety  in  all  the  rich  consolations 
of  the  gospel,  in  all  the  promises  of  life  and  salva- 
tion, in  all  needful  blessings ;  it  draws  virtue  from 
Christ  to  strengthen  itself,  and  all  other  graces." 
Behold  the  man  of  faith  pressed  by  temporal  and 
spiritual  distresses.  See  him  in  the  furnace  made 
seven  times  hotter  than  it  is  wont.  They,  who 
stand  round  about,  are  scorched  by  the  intensity 
of  the  heat.  Cry  to  him  and  say,  Brother,  how  is 
it  with  thee  now  ?  If  faith  is  in  lively  exercise, 
he  replies,  <  '  When  I  am  tried  I  shall  come  forth 
as  gold  seven  times  purified.  I  know  who  it  is 
that  has  said,  I  have  chosen  thee  in  the  furnace  of 
affliction."  With  gold  we  can  buy  what  we  need, 
if  it  is  in  the  market ;  but  faith  supplies  all  our  lack 
when  universal  want  prevails.  When  earth  does 
not  own  what  we  need,  the  man  with  his  bags  of 
gold  is  on  a  level  with  the  beggar ;  but  at  such  a 
time  the  believer  sings,  "Although  the  fig-tree 
shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines  ; 
the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall 
yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off"  from  the 
fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I 
will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation."  Our  faith  is  often  sorely  tried,  but  God's 
word  says,  "The  trial  of  your  faith  is  found  unto 
praise  and  honour  and  glory  at  the  appearance  of 
Jesus  Christ."     What  we  need  is  not  less  labour  or 


PRACTICAL  HEM  AUKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV.   G3 

less  suffering,  burdens  less  heavy  or  less  numerous, 
trials  less  sharp  or  less  lasting.  No.  What  we 
need  is  stronger  faith.  The  disciples  never  offered 
a  better  prayer  than  this  :  ' '  Lord,  increase  our 
faith."  Faith,  like  the  club  of  Hercules,  beats 
down  all  before  it.  ' '  Faith  makes  all  evil  good  to 
us,  and  all  good  better."  "  All  the  precepts  in  the 
law  and  in  the  gospel  do  hang  upon  this,  Believe." 
All  the  comforts  and  supports  of  the  Christian  life 
depend  upon  faith.  Faint  believing  produces  doubt- 
ful walking.  Be  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to 
God.  Never  question  his  truth,  nor  doubt  his 
faithfulness.  "  It  is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord  than 
to  put  confidence  in  man.  It  is  better  to  trust  in 
the  Lord  than  to  put  confidence  in  princes. "  '  'Have 
faith  in  God." 

2.  As  the  object  of  God  in  all  his  dealings  with 
his  people  is  his  own  glory  and  their  eternal  good, 
so  they  ought  heartily  to  concur  in  these  ends,  and 
labour  to  promote  them.  God's  glory  is  more  im- 
portant than  the  lives  of  all  his  creatures.  He  has 
made  all  things  for  himself.  Not  an  event  occurs 
but  for  his  glory.  The  death  of  Lazarus,  of  Beth- 
any, was  to  that  end.  To  the  same  intent  is  every 
pang  of  his  suffering  people.  Nor  does  he  less 
surely  propose  the  welfare  of  his  hidden  ones  in  their 
greatest  afflictions.  * i  We  know  that  all  things  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose."  Let 
us  then  concur  and  co-operate  with  God  in  seeking 
our  good  and  his  glory.  We  ought  to  be  more  anx- 
ious to  get  good  out  of  an  affliction  than  to  get  rid 


64   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

of  it.  The  kindest  wish  that  any  can  indulge  res- 
pecting their  grieving  brethren,  is,  not  that  they  be 
tempted  no  more,  but  that  in  all  their  trials  they 
may  not  sin,  nor  charge  God  foolishly.  With  these 
views  predominant  in  us,  how  many  powerful  tempta- 
tations  would  become  powerless.  Sometimes  the 
afflicted  look  upon  their  trials  merely  as  tokens  of 
God's  displeasure  against  them  for  their  sins.  Xo 
doubt  God  has  good  ground  of  controversy  with  us 
all.  But  hear  the  voice  from  heaven,  "As  many  as 
I  love  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  As  God  did  not  give 
us  friends,  or  health,  or  property,  or  reputation, 
chiefly  to  please  us,  so  neither  does  he  take  them 
away  chiefly  to  afflict  or  punish  us.  His  ends  are 
hio-h  and  liolv,  wise  and  benevolent.  We  should 
remember  that  what  is  loss  to  us  is  often  gain  to 
others.  This  is  always  true  when  one  of  our  friends 
dies  in  the  Lord.  Wherefore  let  us  gird  up  the 
loins  of  our  minds  and  seek,  above  all  things,  to 
glorify  God  in  every  visitation,  whether  grievous  or 
joyous.  Let  us  rejoice  in  all  that  he  does.  "As  an 
eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young, 
spreadeth  abroad  her  wings,  taketh  them,  beareth 
them  on  her  wings,  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him, 
and  there  was  no  strange  god  with  him."  The  pious 
Mr.  Jay  has  explained  the  allusions  here  made  to 
natural  history.  The  eaglets  are  fond  of  the  nest ; 
they  love  to  eat,  sleep  and  grow  fat,  and  are  reluc- 
tant to  exert  themselves  till  their  dam  renders  the 
nest  so  uncomfortable  that  they  can  occupy  it  no 
longer.  Then  they  go  out  upon  the  rocks  or  the 
branches  of  the  trees,  and  learn  to  walk.     By  exam- 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV.   65 

pic,  she  teaches  them  to  exercise  their  wings,  flutter- 
ing over  them.     Then  she  bears  them  on  her  back 
to  great  heights,  darts  from  under  them,  and  com- 
pels  them  to   use  their  wings.     Then  she   makes 
short  circuits  in  the  air,  and  they  follow  her.     She 
enlarges  the  range  of  her  flight,  and  still  they  imi- 
tate her  till  they  can  rival  her,  soaring  high  in  the 
heavens.     Sir  Humphrey  Davy  describes  the  com- 
pletion of  this  training  :   "  I  once  saw  a  very  inter- 
esting sight,  above  one  of  the  crags  of  Ben  Nevis, 
as  I  was  going  on  the  20th  of  August,  in  the  pur- 
suit of  black  game.     Two  parent  eagles  were  teach- 
ing their  offspring — two    young    birds — the    man- 
oeuvres of  flight.     They  began  by  rising  from  the 
top  of  a  mountain,   in  the  eye  of  the  sun :  it  was 
about  mid-day,  and  bright  for  this  climate.     They 
at  first  made  small  circles,  and  the  young  birds  imi- 
tated them  ;  they  paused  on  their  wings,  waiting  till 
they  had  made  their  first  flight,  and  then  took  a  sec- 
ond and  larger  gyration,  always  rising  towards  the 
sun,   and  enlarging  their  circle  of  flight,   so  as  to 
make  a  gradual  extended  spiral.     The   young  ones 
still  slowly  followed,  apparently  flying  better  as  they 
mounted;  and  they  continued  this  sublime  kind  of 
exercise,  always  rising,  till  they  became  mere  points 
in  the  air,  and  the  young  ones  were  lost,  and  after- 
wards their  parents,  to  our    aching   sight."     "So 
"they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles  ; 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary .  they  shall  walk 
and  not  faint." 

3.  Let  us  put  a  watch  upon  our  hearts  and  lips,  lest 


66   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

we  should  think  or  say  more  about  God's  nature  and 
ways  than  befits  our  ignorance  and  our  selfishness. 
Shall  not  God  do  what  he  will  with  his  own  ?  To 
us  he  is  not  accountable,  and  it  is  fearful  wickedness 
to  think  or  speak  as  if  he  were.  If  our  reasonings 
concerning  his  nature  or  ways  perplex  us,  it  is  proof 
that  we  have  gone  too  far,  and  uttered  things  too 
wonderful  for  us.  Let  us  not  wade  beyond  our 
depth.  "  Fools  rush  in  where  angels  fear  to  tread.'' 
There  is  much  wickedness  in  indulging  in  bold  spec- 
ulations and  confident  reasons  on  the  nature  and 
government  of  God.  On  such  subjects,  precon- 
ceived and  rash  opinions  are  too  often  allowed  to  set 
aside  the  teachings  of  Scripture.  This  is  always 
sinful.  To  every  student  of  divine  things  God 
seems  to  say:  "Take  off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy 
feet,  for  the  pi  ace  where  thou  stanclest  is  holy  ground." 
There  is  too  much  occasion  given  by  men  for  the 
challenge,  "  Who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God  ?"  In  the  book  of  Job  we  see  to  what  fearful 
lengths  even  good  men  may  go  in  proud  reasonings 
on  Jehovah's  ways.  For  indulging  in  this  sin  God 
gave  a  terrible  rebuke  even  to  the  great  patriarch. 
Would  that  the  folly  had  ended  with  the  man  of  Uz. 
Let  us  take  heed  to  our  ways,  that  we  sin  not  with  our 
tongues.  Yea,  let  us  keep  our  hearts  with  all  dili- 
gence, for  out  of  them  are  the  issues  of  life.  "  Pride 
is  increased  by  ignorance  :  those  assume  the  most, 
who  know  the  least."  And  "to  be  proud  of  learn- 
ing is  the  greatest  ignorance. "  ' '  Pride  goeth  before 
destruction,  and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall." 
"  With   the    lowly    is  wisdom."     Have    docility. 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV.   G7 

''Most  men  take  least  notice  of  what  is  plain,  as  if 
that  were  of  no  use  ;  but  puzzle  their  thoughts,  and 
lose  themselves  in  those  vast  depths  and  abysses, 
which  no  human  understanding  can  fathom."  Utter 
not  words  without  knowledge.  Think  not  as  the 
fools.  "Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth  and  let  not 
thy  heart  be  hasty  to  utter  anything  before  God:  for 
God  is  in  heaven  and  thou  upon  earth." 

4.  How  excellent  are  divine  things.  "  Divinity  is 
the  haven  and  Sabbath  of  all  man's  contemplations." 
The  subjects,  of  which  it  treats,  surpass  all  others  in 
dignity  and  practical  usefulness.  It  opens  to  us  the 
glorious  fountain  of  all  being  and  of  all  blessedness. 
It  tells  us  whence  all  creatures  came.  It  gives  the 
true  theory  of  human  nature,  and  teaches  man  cor- 
rect views  of  himself  and  of  his  neighbors.  It  set- 
tles the  doctrine  of  an  endless  life  beyond  the  bounds 
of  time.  Its  truths  have  a  sovereign  efficacy  to 
cheer,  guide,  and  cleanse  the  soul.  For  purity,  for 
power,  for  sublimity,  for  refreshment,  nothing  can 
compare  with  them.  They  humble  without  debasing. 
They  elevate  without  puffing  up.  They  beget  mod- 
esty without  cowardice.  They  embolden  without 
impudence.  They  inspire  salutary  fear  and  anima- 
ting confidence.  They  give  joy  without  levity.  They 
make  men  to  sorrow  after  a  godly  sort,  and  yet 
greatly  increase  their  happiness. 

To  these  ends  they  have  a  fitness  in  themselves. 
Truth  is  in  its  very  nature  excellent.  Religious 
truth  is  as  far  above  all  other  verity  as  mind  is  above 
matter,  as  eternity  is  more  lasting  than  time,  as  God 
is  superior  to  his  works.     The  words  of  God  are 


68      PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

spirit  and  life.  They  are  wisdom.  Their  entrance 
gives  light.  To  those  who  seek  him  with  all  the 
heart,  God  makes  his  truth  efficacious  by  special 
divine  influences.  Even  a  heart  dead  in  sin  will 
revive  under  the  energies  of  truth  in  the  hands  of 
the  great  Sanctifier.  "The  first  creature  of  God, 
in  the  work  of  the  days,  was  the  light  of  the  sense ; 
the  last  was  the  light  of  reason  ;  and  his  Sabbath 
work  ever  since  is  the  illumination  of  his  Spirit." 

If  the  study  of  divine  things  is  not  a  blessing  to 
any,  it  is  because  they  are  "  sensual,  having  not  the 
Spirit."  They  are  blind  and  cannot  see  afar  off,  and 
yet  are  too  proud  to  seek  the  unction  that  teacheth 
all  things.  They  do  not  in  their  hearts  believe  what 
they  know  to  be  true.  They  restrain  prayer  before 
God,  even  when  they  hear  his  servant  saying,  "If 
any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth 
to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not. "  They  obey 
not,  though  Christ  says,  "If  any  man  will  do  his 
will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of 
God."  They  resist  not  their  passions,  though  the 
promise  is,  "  The  meek  will  he  guide  in  judg- 
ment." Nor  do  such  make  proof  of  the  princi- 
ple— "The  hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich." 
If  in  this  land  any  man  shall  not  become  wise  unto 
salvation,  the  fault  will  be  his  own. 

If  these  things  are  so,  every  honest  effort  to  spread 
the  knowledge  of  God  is  praiseworthy.  A  good  reli- 
gious book  is  worth  all  it  ever  costs.  To  give  such 
a  volume  is  often  the  noblest  charit}^.  To  read  it 
with  eagerness  is  to  dig  after  hid  treasure.  The  two 
great  sources  of  light  on  divine  things  are  God's 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV.   69 

works  and  God's  word.  Some  err  by  rejecting  the 
volume  of  nature,  and  some  by  rejecting  the  volume 
of  inspiration.  He  who  rejects  either  plays  the  fool. 
A  pious  mind  loves  to  learn  lessons  concerning  God 
from  any  source.  He  who  asserts  that  God  teaches 
nothing  by  what  he  does,  is  as  blind  and  perverse  as 
he  who  holds  that  God  teaches  nothing  by  what  he 
says.  For  '  *  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  ; 
and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handy-work.  Day 
unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night  show- 
eth knowledge." 

Yet  the  highest  source  of  divine  knowledge  is 
revelation.  In  it  are  found  all  the  saving  truths  of 
religion.  That  speaks  clearly  of  the  most  vital 
things.  How  glorious,  and  yet  how  free,  is  the 
truth  :  "Things  which  are  revealed  belong  unto  us 
and  unto  our  children."  Of  himself  how  excellent 
is  the  revelation  God  has  made  :  "  The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and 
abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for 
thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression  and 
sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty." 
These  few  words  give  us  more  true  knowledge  of 
God's  moral  character  than  all  the  wise  men  of  old 
acquired  from  the  whole  volume  of  nature.  Reve- 
lation is  no  less  clear  concerning  man's  sin  and 
guilt,  misery  and  helplessness.  .It  leaves  no  doubt 
respecting  either  of  these.  By  scores  of  types,  pro- 
phecies and  promises,  it  points  to  the  Lamb  of  God 
that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  It  assures 
the  conscience  of  peace  by  atoning  blood.  It 
explains  the  mystery  of  sanctification.  It  pours 
7 


70   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV". 

floods  of  light  on  all  that  needs  to  be  known,  in 
order  that  we  may  do  our  duty  or  maintain  solid 
peace  of  mind.  On  the  whole  subject  of  God's 
moral  government  it  is  luminous.  It  goes  still  fur- 
ther. "  Some  things  which  could  not  otherwise  be 
read  in  the  book  of  nature,  are  legible  enough  when 
the  lamp  of  revelation  is  held  up  to  it."  Thus  it 
makes  all  plain  concerning  the  death  both  of  good 
and  bad  men.  In  the  phrase,  death  by  sin,  we  have 
the  cause  of  all  death  in  the  human  family.  In  the 
words,  I"  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  we  have 
opened  to  all  the  pious  a  door  of  hope  which  shall 
never  be  shut.  God's  word  is  complete  as  to  our 
duty  and  destiny,  our  privileges  and  prospects.  i  'The 
law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul :  the 
testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  sim- 
ple. The  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing 
the  heart :  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure, 
enlightening  the  eyes.  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 
clean,  enduring  for  ever  :  the  judgments  of  the 
Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether.  More  to  be 
desired  are  they  than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold  : 
sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb." 

5.  We  ought  not  to  reject  the  doctrine  of  a  Trin- 
ity of  persons  in  the  Godhead  because  of  its  myste- 
riousness.  It  is  not  offensive  to  pious  minds.  It  is 
for  rejoicing  that  he  who  made  us,  he  who  redeemed 
us,  and  he  who  sanctifies  us,  is  the  one  eternal,  un- 
changeable, indivisible  Jehovah,  subsisting  in  three 
persons.  The  favorite  objection  urged  against  this 
doctrine,  from  the  days  of  Celsus  and  Lucian,  down 
to  this  hour  is,  its  mysteriousness.     Lucian's  il  One 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHArTEH  IV.   71 

three,  three  one"  is  repeated  in  our  day  by  persona 
who  would  be  very  unwilling  to  enrol  their  names 
with  his,  though  they  take  up  the  ribaldry,  and  sit 
in  the  seat  of  that  ancient  scorner.  That  everything 
pertaining  to  God  is,  in  some  points,  inscrutable,  is 
not  denied.  Were  it  otherwise,  who  could  adore 
him?  "When  I  perfectly  understand  all  about  a 
being,  I  know  that  he  is  either  my  inferior,  or  my 
equal,  and  so  I  cannot  pay  him  religious  worship. 
The  pious  Hervey  well  says  :  * '  I  am  no  more  sur- 
prised that  some  revealed  truths  should  amaze  my 
understanding,  than  that  the  blazing  sun  should  daz- 
zle my  eyes."  Robert  Hall,  speaking  of  inscrutable 
things  in  religion,  says :  "  We  rejoice  that  they  are 
mysterious,  so  far  from  being  ashamed  of  them  on 
that  account ;  since  the  principal  reason  why  they 
are,  and  must  ever  continue  such,  is  derived  from 
their  elevation,  from  their  unsearchable  riches  and 
undefinable  grandeur."  Dr.  Leonard  Woods,  of 
Andover,  says :  '  '  The  end  of  our  being  does  not 
require  that  we  should  completely  comprehend  either 
the  Creator,  or  the  creation.  Were  we  called  to 
exercise  dominion  over  the  universe,  it  would  indeed 
be  necessary  that  we  should  be  omniscient.  But  for 
those,  whose  business  it  is  to  obey  and  submit,  om- 
niscience is  not  necessary.  On  inquiry,  it  will  appear 
that  all  the  most  momentous  and  useful  truths  relate 
to  objects  which  are  pre-eminently  incomprehensi- 
ble." Bishop  Waterland  says  :  "  No  just  objection 
can  be  made  against  the  importance  of  any  doctrine, 
from  its  mysterious  nature.  The  most  mysterious  of 
all  are,  in  reality,  the  most  important ;  not  because 


72   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV* 

they  are  mysterious,  but  because  they  relate  to  things 
divine,  which  must,  of  course,  be  mysterious  to  weak 
mortals,    and,  perhaps,   to  all   creatures  whatever. 
But  even  mysterious  doctrines  have  a  bright  side,  as 
well  as  a  dark  one  ;  and  they  are  clear  to  look  upon, 
though  too  deep  to  be  seen  through."     Calvin  says  : 
"We  mistake,  if   we  measure  God   by  our  own 
understanding,  and  we  must  mount  above  the  earth, 
yea,  above  heaven  itself  when  we  think  of  him." 
Richard  Baxter  says:   "The  mystery  of  the  incar- 
nation alone    may  rind   you    work  to   search  and 
admire  many  ages."     John  Kewton  says:    "If  I 
did  not  find  many  things  in    the   Bible  proposed 
rather  to  my  faith  than  to  my  reason,  I  could  not 
receive  it  as  a  revelation  from  God,  because  it  would 
want  the  grand  characteristic  of  his  majesty."     Dr. 
Scott  says  :    "  The  mystery  of  godliness  continued  a 
great  mystery  after  the  fullest  revelation  of  it.     The 
revelation  and  belief  of  it  have  always  been,  and  are, 
the  beginning  and  spring  of  all  pious  dispositions  and 
affections  in  the  hearts  of  fallen  men,  and  of  all  the 
spiritual  worship  of   God  in  the  world."     Bishop 
Sherlock,  no  less  pertinently  observes,  that  "So  far 
is  it  from  being  an  objection  against  the  Gospel  of 
Christ,  that  it  contains  many  wonderful  mysteries  of 
the  hidden  wisdom  ot  God,  that,  as  our  case  stands, 
without  a  mystery,  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  be  saved  : 
for,  since  reason  and  nature  cannot  find  the  means 
of  rescuing  sinners  from  punishment,  and  of  making 
atonement  to  the  justice  of  God  ;  since  they  cannot 
prescribe  a  proper  satisfaction  for  sin,  in  which  the 
honor  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men  shall  be  at 


PRACTICAL    REMARKS    ON     CHAPTER    IV.       73 

once  consulted  ;  since  they  cannot  remedy  the  cor- 
ruption that  has  spread  through  the  race  of  mankind, 
or  infuse  new  principles  of  virtue  and  holiness  iuto 
the  souls  already  subdued  to  the  lust  and  power  of 
sin  ;  since,  if  they  could  procure  our  pardon  for  what 
is  past,  they  cannot  secure  us  for  the  future  from  the 
same  temptations,  which  by  fatal  experience  we  know 
we  cannot  withstand  ;  since,  I  say,  these  things  can- 
not be  done  by  the  means  of  reason  and  nature, 
they  must  be  done  by  such  means  as  reason  and  nature 
know  nothing  of ;  that  is,  in  other  words,  they  must 
be  done  by  mysterious  means,  of  the  propriety  of 
which  we  can  have  no  adequate  notion  or  conception. 

' '  If  you  stand  in  need  of  no  new  favor,  if  you 
aim  not  so  high  as  eternal  life,  religion  without  mys- 
teries may  well  serve  your  turn.  The  principles  of 
natural  religion  tend  to  procure  the  peace  and  tran- 
quility of  this  life  ;  and  the  not  distinguishing  be- 
tween religion  as  a  rule  of  life  for  our  present  use 
and  well-being  here,  and  as  the  means  of  obtaining 
pardon  for  sin  and  eternal  life  hereafter,  may  have 
in  some  measure  occasioned  the  great  complaint 
against  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel :  for  mysteries 
are  not  indeed  the  necessary  parts  of  religion,  con- 
sidered only  as  a  rule  of  action  :  but  most  necessary 
they  are  to  it,  when  considered  as  a  means  of  ob- 
taining pardon  and  eternal  glory. 

Consider  the  gospel  then  as  a  rule  of  action,  no 
religion  was  ever  so  plain,  so  calculated  upon  the 
principles  of  reason  and  nature  ;  so  that  natural 
religion  itself  had  never  more  natural  religion  in  it. 
If  we  consider  the  end  proposed  to  us,  and  the  means 
7* 


74      PRACTICAL   REMARKS    ON    CHAPTER     IV. 

used  to  entitle  us  to  the  benefit  of  it,  it  grows  mys- 
terious, and  soars  above  the  reach  of  human  reason  ; 
for  God  has  done  more  for  us  than  reason  could 
teach  us  to  expect,  or  can  now  teach  us  to  compre- 
hend. Let  us  then  do  our  part,  which  we  plainly 
understand,  and  let  us  trust  in  God  that  he  will  do 
his  ;  though  it  exceeds  the  strength  of  human  wis- 
dom to  comprehend  the  length  and  depth  and  breadth 
of  that  wisdom  and  mercy,  which  God  has  mani- 
fested to  the  world  through  his  Son  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord."  Nor  does  God's  word  teach  any  diffe- 
rent doctrine.  In  fact,  it  fully  supports  these  views, 
Paul  said  :  "Without  controversy,  great  is  the  mys- 
tery of  godliness :  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh , 
justified  in  the  spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto 
the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up 
into  glory."  Let  us  love  all  that  God  has  spoken. 
If  it  fills  us  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  if  it 
humbles  us  in  the  dust,  if  it  awakens  pious  wonder, 
if  it  stirs  us  up  to  diligence  in  looking  into  these 
things,  it  must  be  of  excellent  use.  But  to  carp  at 
God's  word,  or  any  portion  thereof,  is  both  criminal 
and  dangerous.  Let  every  man  beware,  lest  Christ 
and  his  salvation  be  to  him  for  a  stone  of  stumbling, 
and  for  a  rock  of  offence  ;  for  a  gin  and  for  a  snare ; 
for  many  among  men  shall  stumble  and  fall,  and  be 
broken,  and  be  snared,  and  be  taken. 

6.  What  madness  it  is  for  any  creature  to  be  found 
fighting  against  God.  lie  taketh  the  wise  in  their 
own  craftiness.  He  hides  himself,  and  all  nature 
stands  aghast.  He  passes  by,  and  a  great  and  strong 
wind  rends  the  mountains,  and  breaks  in  pieces  the 


PRACTICAL    REMARKS    ON    CHAPTER     IV.       lb 

rocks.  He  utters  his  voice,  and  the  earth  melts. 
He  wills  it,  and  a  world  arises.  He  frowns,  and  the 
pillars  of  heaven  tremble.  "Behold,  the  nations 
are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the 
small  dust  of  the  balance  ;  behold,  he  taketh  up  the 
isles  as  a  very  little  thing.  All  nations  are  before 
him  as  nothing."  **  He  bringeth  princes  to  no- 
thing." "He  maketh  the  judges  of  the  earth  as 
vanity."  Before  him,  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
are  as  grasshoppers.  Who  can  resist  such  a  God? 
Some  have  fought  against  him,  but  who  ever  con- 
quered him  or  escaped  a  certain  overthrow  ?  Was 
there  ever  a  company  of  more  consummate  fools  than 
Pharoah  and  his  great  men,  although  they  thought 
to  "  deal  wisely?"  Behold  the  horse  and  his  rider, 
the  warrior  and  the  chariot,  sunk  like  lead  in  the 
mighty  waters.  "  The  Lord  is  a  man  of  war.  He 
hath  triumphed  gloriously.  Who  is  like  unto  thee, 
0  Lord,  among  the  gods  ?  Who  is  1  ike  thee,  glo- 
rious in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders  ?" 
Let  every  man  know  that  the  Lord,  he  is  God,  and 
that  to  put  one's  self  in  array  against  him  is  to  ad- 
vertise the  whole  universe  that  he  is  a  fool,  bent  on 
his  own  eternal  undoing.  A  feather  can  never  resist 
the  tires  of  a  furnace,  the  elements  cannot  with- 
stand the  intense  heat  of  the  last  day ;  neither  can 
a  worm  of  the  dust  stand  up  against  God.  Sin  is 
as  foolish  as  it  is  criminal.  If,  in  temporal  atiairs, 
any  man  violated  the  lawTs  of  his  existence,  as  in 
spiritual  atiairs  every  wicked  man  does,  any  court 
would  pronounce  him  a  madman,  and  subject  him 
to   the   restraints  of    a  lunatic.     Wisdom  says : — 


76   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

"Whoso  findeth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain 
favor  of  the  Lord.  But  he  that  sinneth  against  me 
wrongeth  his  own  soul :  all  they  that  hate  me  love 
death."  To  think  of  God's  wrath  is  fearful.  To 
taste  it  is  worse  than  a  potion  of  wormwood  and 
gall.  To  endure  it  is  intolerable.  A  drop  of  it  fell 
into  the  conscience  of  Belshazzar,  and  his  knees 
smote  together ;  of  Herod,  and  he  gave  up  the 
ghost ;  of  Judas,  and  he  turned  suicide.  A  few 
drops  of  it  have  sent  the  voice  of  wailing  along 
every  valley  and  over  every  mountain  in  a  great 
nation.  A  sprinkle  of  it  fell  on  sinning  angels,  and 
in  a  moment  they  shrivelled  into  devils.  A  vial  of 
it  broken  on  our  globe  will  yet  send  it  blazing 
through  the  universe.  The  fierceness  of  that  wrath 
will  cow  the  spirit  of  devils,  and  make  sinners  of  our 
race  wish  they  had  never  been  born.  "Who  know- 
eth  the  power  of  thine  anger  !  Even  according  to 
thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath." 

7.  With  so  great  a  God,  great  sinners  may  hope 
to  find  great  mercy.  He  punishes,  but  he  also  par- 
dons, like  a  God.  He  shows  compassion  to  the 
chief  of  sinners.  His  loving-kindness  reaches  to 
the  heavens.  If  any  of  us  shall  not  be  saved,  it 
will  not  be  because  God  is  not  merciful ;  but  because 
we  are  proud,  rebellious  and  self-righteous.  Some- 
times we  think  our  sins  too  great  to  be  pardoned  by 
the  Lord.  But  this  is  because  of  our  wicked  unbe- 
lief. Hear  his  own  words  of  love:  "Seek  ye  the 
Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while 
he  is  near  ;  let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the 
unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ;  and  let  him  return 


PRACTICAL    REMARKS    ON    CHAPTER    IV.       11 

unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him, 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.*3 
Such  offers  ought  to  silence  all  our  cavils,  and  put 
to  shame  all  our  unbelief.  If  we  knew  more  of 
God,  we  should  be  less  apt  to  distrust  him.  lie, 
who  has  spent  all  his  days  among  the  mountains 
which  lift  their  brows  above  the  clouds,  and  has 
never  seen  any  body  of  water  greater  than  the  moun- 
tain torrent,  may  naturally  doubt  whether  there  is 
water  enough  on  earth  to  cover  the  peaks  of  his 
native  land.  But  let  him  once  cross  the  Atlantic, 
let  him  put  down  his  lead  thousands  of  fathoms,  let 
him  find  that  it  is  three  thousand  miles  wide  and 
yet  greater  in  length,  and  he  will  see  how  all  his 
native  mountains  could  be  buried  in  the  sea.  So  our 
sins  are  great,  truly  as  great  as  we  ever  thought 
them  to  be.  But  God's  mercy  is  greater  than  we 
have  ever  imagined.  Let  us  explore  it  and  medi- 
tate upon  it,  till  we  see  how  he  can  pardon  iniquity, 
pass  by  transgression,  delight  in  mercy,  have  com- 
passion on  us,  and  cast  all  our  sins  into  the  depths 
of  the  sea. 

8.  The  true  glory  of  churches >is  the  presence  and 
blessing  of  Jehovah.  The  great  difference  between 
the  tvvo  houses  that  Solomon  built  was,  that  one 
was  his  own  domicil,  while  the  other  was  an  habita- 
tion for  the  Lord.  The  great  difference  between  a 
saint  and  a  sinner  is,  that  one  is  the  temple  of  Belial, 
and  the  other  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  In  monarch- 
ical governments,  it  is  esteemed  a  great  honor  to 
live  or  to  worship  in  the  same  house  with  the  king. 
But  wherever  churches  are  animated  with  real  love 


78   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

to  God,  the  King  of  kings  blesses  the  place  of  their 
meeting  with  his  presence.  This  is  honor  indeed. 
"What  a  glorious  promise  is  that,  "Where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I 
in  the  midst  of  them."  The  fulfilment  is  as  certain 
as  the  blessing  promised  is  inestimable.  How  fool- 
ish are  we  when  we  put  our  confidence  in  means  and 
men,  in  singers  and  preachers,  to  make  the  sanc- 
tuary a  delight.  They  may  provide  for  the  proprie- 
ties of  things.  Even  a  corpse  may  be  decently 
arrayed.  But  if  the  place  of  meeting  is  to  be  made 
to  our  souls  the  house  of  God,  and  the  gate  of  hea- 
ven, if  we,  who  are  naturally  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  are  to  be  made  alive  unto  God,  it  must  be 
by  the  gracious  presence  of  him  whose  we  arc, 
and  whom  we  serve.  Let  God's  people  never 
weary  of  looking  to  him,  who  is  the  glory  of  his 
people  Israel.  Let  them  never  vainly  imagine  that 
they  are  anything,  or  can  do  anything  as  of  them- 
selves. Without  him  they  can  do  nothing.  That 
was  a  wise  prayer  of  Moses,  ' i  If  thy  presence  go 
not  with  me,  carry  us  not  up  hence."  If  God  go 
before  us,  our  enemies  shall  be  scattered.  If  he  bo 
our  rcrewarcl,  our  enemies  shall  not  overtake  us. 
If  he  be  our  portion,  we  shall  not  want.  If  he  be 
our  glory,  wo  shall  be  eternally  illustrious. 

9.  What  a  capital  error  is  that  which  teaches  that 
God  can  bo  fitly  represented  or  worshipped  by 
images.  To  bow  down  to  the  sun,  moon  and  stars, 
and  worship  all  the  host  of  heaven,  or  to  "  change 
the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  imago 
made  like  to  corruptible  men,  and  to  birds,  and  four- 


PRACTICAL    REMARKS    ON    CIIArTER    IV.       79 

footed  beasts,  and  creeping  tilings,"  ought  to  be  by 
all  people  held  and  declared  idolatry.  In  his  being, 
perfections,  works  and  ways,  God  is  incomparable, 
"Among  tho  gods,  there  is  none  like  thee,  0  Lord ; 
neither  are  there  any  works  like  nnto  thy  works." 
"  Who  in  tho  heavens  can  bo  compared  nnto  tho 
Lord  ;  who  among  the  sons  of  tho  mighty  can  bo 
likened  nnto  the  Lord?"  "  To  whom  will  ye  liken 
God  ?  or  what  likeness  will  ye  compare  nnto  him  ?" 
The  greatness  of  the  sin  of  worshipping  images,  or 
of  worshipping  God  by  images,  arises  from  these 
facts  :  It  is  positively  forbidden  in  many  portions  of 
Scripture ;  it  is  contrary  to  God's  spirituality  ;  it 
degrades  all  our  conceptions  of  Jehovah  to  a  depth 
of  debasement  intolerable  to  God.  "Wo  ought 
not  to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or 
silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man's  device." 
The  spirit  of  the  first  and  the  letter  of  the  second 
commandment  forbid  such  worship.  "Thou  shalt 
have  no  other  gods  before  me.  Thou  shalt  not 
make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness 
of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in 
tho  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  tho  water  under  tho 
earth  ;  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them, 
nor  servo  them  :  for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jeal- 
ous God,  visiting  tho  iniquity  of  tho  fathers  upon 
tho  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of 
them  that  hate  me  ;  and  showing  mercy  unto  thou- 
sands of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my  command- 
ments." In  his  address  to  Israel  given  us  in  tho 
fourth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  Moses  greatly  in- 
sists upon  the  exclusion  of  images  from  religious 


80   PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV. 

worship.  Besides,  "God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that 
worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth."  God  is  not  in  an}' way  personally  connected 
with  matter.  He  is  an  uncreated,  immaterial  sub- 
stance. He  is  an  active,  intelligent,  infinite  spirit. 
The  Belgic  confession  well  says:  "We  believe  in 
heart,  and  confess  with  the  mouth,  that  there  is  one 
only  and  simple  spiritual  essence,  which  we  call  God, 
eternal,  incomprehensible,  invisible,  immutable,  in- 
finite, who  is  wholly  wise,  and  a  most  plentiful  well- 
spring  of  all  good  things."  We  cannot  too  care- 
fully guard  God's  worship  against  all  corruptions, 
all  admixtures  of  human  inventions.  Image  wor- 
ship  is  abominable  idolatry.  The  Most  High  is  not 
like  the  gods  of  the  heathen.  He  dwell eth  not  in 
temples  made  with  hands.  Because  he  fills  heaven 
and  earth,  he  cannot  be  placed  in  a  niche  or  on  the 
altar  of  any  house.  Nor  can  any  true  image  of  him 
be  made  or  conceived.  The  most  exquisite  piece  of 
art  is  no  more  like  God,  and  is  no  more  suited  to 
give  us  just  ideas  of  him,  than  the  most  unsightly 
daub,  or  the  rudest  block  of  wood  or  stone. 

10.  How  amiable  is  the  whole  character  of  God. 
Love  to  him  is  as  reasonable  as  it  is  obligatory. 
When  a  scoffing  infidel  thought  to  perplex  a  pious 
little  girl,  by  asking,  "How  big  is  your  God  ?"  she 
replied,  "He  is  so  great  that  the  heaven  of  heavens 
cannot  contain  him,  yet  he  is  so  kind  as  to  dwell  in 
this  little  heart  of  mine."  Ho  dwells  with  all  his 
people.  He  walks  in  them.  "  Thus  saith  the  high 
and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name 
is  Holy  ;  I  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  CHAPTER  IV.   81 

him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to 
revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the 
heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  What  matchless  love 
is  here  !  He  who  is  over  all  God  blessed  forever, 
condescends  to  take  up  his  abode  in  our  hearts. 
"The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men."  He  that  is 
higher  than  the  highest  docs  not  despise  our  low 
estate.  How  hateful  is  the  arrogant  littleness  of 
man,  compared  with  the  condescending  greatness  of 
God.  Our  God  is  in  the  heavens,  and  yet  he  is  the 
great  comforter  of  man.  If  this  is  so,  how  we 
should  love  and  fear,  serve  and  obey,  praise  and 
adore  him.  "We  should  give  him  the  same  place 
in  our  hearts  that  he  holds  in  the  universe."  We 
shall  never  be  able  to  pay  the  debt  Ave  owe  him. 
Let  us  give  him  all.  Even  that  is  but  little  ;  yet  he 
will  receive  it. 

Maker !    Preserver  !    my  Reedemer  !    God ! 

Whom  have  I  in  the  heavens  but  thee  alone  ? 

On  earth,  but  thee,  whom  should  I  praise,  whom  love  ? 

For  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto,  upheld 

By  thy  Omnipotence  ;  and  from  thy  grace 

Unbought,  unmerited,  though  not  unsought — 

The  wells  of  thy  salvation,  hast  refreshed 

My  spirit,  watering  it  at  morn  and  eve. 

GLORY   TO    GOD   IN   THE   HIGHEST. 


82  HUMAN     ACCOUNTABILITY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


HUMAN   ACCOUNTABILITY. 


As  creator,  preserver,  and  benefactor,  and  pos- 
sessed of  infinite  perfections,  God  has  a  right  to  be 
judge  and  governor.  As  creatures,  dependents, 
stewards,  servants,  men  are  bound  to  obey.  Of 
course  it  is  right  they  should  be  held  to  account. 
As  a  king  and  master  God  will  require  neither  too 
much  nor  too  little.  The  rational  and  moral  nature 
of  man  make  it  fit  that  he  should  be  held  responsi- 
ble to  his  rightful  sovereign.  If  he  has  done  only 
good,  it  will  be  to  his  honor  and  to  his  Maker's 
glory  to  have  it  known.  If  there  is  a  controversy 
between  him  and  God,  it  is  right  it  should  be  known 
and  declared  where  the  blame  lies.  If  God  offers 
and  grants  great  mercy,  and  takes  the  guilty  into 
his  favor,  truth  requires  that  it  should  appear  to  be 
to  the  glory  of  his  grace. 

All  thinking  men  clearly  perceive  the  right- 
eousne:s  of  accountability.  As  surely  as  we  are 
able  to  form  moral  judgments,  so  surely  shall  they 
be  reviewed  by  the  judge  of  all  the  earth.  "The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  certain  man, 
which  would  take  account  of  his  servants."  (Matt, 
xviii:  23.)  To  show  how  this  account  should  be 
conducted  Jesus  spoke  several  parables. 


HUMAN    ACCOUNTABILITY.  83 

When  we  say  man  is  accountable  to  God,  we 
mean  that  he  must  one  day  settle  with  him,  and 
that  he  will  receive  at  God's  hand  fit  treatment  for 
all  he  does. 

The  account  which  we  must  give  to  God  will  he 
solemn.  Nothing  can  he  more  so  than  a  creature 
reckoning  with  the  Creator.  Fools  and  jesters  may 
sport  in  time,  while  prosperity  lasts ;  hut  fun  and 
trilling  shall  have  no  place  when  the  soul  stands 
before  the  tribunal  of  Jehovah.  Both  in  the  solemn 
interview  with  God  immediately  after  death,  and  in 
the  sublime  scenes  of  the  final  judgment,  the  buf- 
foon will  be  as  solemn  as  the  most  solemn  Christian. 
Nothing  can  surpass  the  folly  of  lightly  esteeming 
this  matter,  or  of  acting  as  if  we  shall  never  answer 
at  his  bar.     It  is  an  awful  thing  to  stand  before  God. 

This  accountability  is  universal.  "Every  one  of 
us  shall  give  account."  "We  must  all  stand  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ."  The  maid  and  her 
mistress,  master  and  servant,  parent  and  child,  hus- 
band and  wife,  minister  and  people,  the  lawyer  and 
his  client,  the  judge  and  the  culprit,  the  king  and 
the  subject,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  wise  and  the 
simple,  the  conqueror  and  the  conquered,  the  op- 
pressor and  the  oppressed  are  alike  held  amenable 
to  God.  In  more  than  one  case  God  has  granted  a 
dispensation  from  death,  but  never  from  accounta- 
bility. Many  have  enjoyed  immunity  from  poverty ; 
none  from  appearing  before  God.  Every  eye  shall 
see  the  final  Judge.  All  kindreds  of  the  earth 
shall  account  to  him. 

This  account  shall  be  separate  and  not  corporate. 


84  HUMAN    ACCOUNTABILITY. 

Men  will  not  appear  before  the  tribunal  of  God  in 
classes  or  bodies.  Kings  and  their  cabinets  will  not 
be  in  one  company,  and  their  nobles  in  another,  sub- 
ordinate magistrates  in  another,  and  the  clergy  in 
another.  Every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  him- 
self to  God.  Men  often  go  with  the  multitude  to 
do  evil ;  and  hand  joins  in  hand  to  do  wickedly. 
But  God  knows  exactly  how  far  each  man's  hand 
extends,  and  how  much  guilt  adheres  to  each.  In 
like  manner  shall  the  actions  and  character  of  the 
righteous  be  accurately  determined.  "  Every  man 
shall  bear  his  own  burden."  (Gal.  vi:  5.)  " Every 
man  shall  receive  his  own  reward  according  to  his 
own  labor."  (1  Cor.  hi:  8.)  None  can  hide  him- 
self in  a  crowd.  None  can  so  lay  his  criminality 
on  others  as  to  exempt  himself.  Nor  shall  any 
humble  soul  be  overlooked.  "Whatsoever  good 
thing  any  man  docth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of 
the  Lord,  whether  he  be  bond  or  free."  (Eph.  vi :  8.) 

The  great  principles  of  this  accountability  are 
clearly  revealed  in  Scripture.  The  bold  interpola- 
tor of  the  Bible,  who  adds  to  the  sacred  canon, 
shall  have  the  plagues  threatened  in  God's  word 
poured  upon  him ;  and  he  who  takes  from  the  word 
of  God,  shall  lose  all  interest  in  its  promises.  (Rev. 
xxii:  18,  19.)  The  whole  law  and  the  whole  gos- 
pel, the  entire  rule  of  revelation,  shall  be  the  rule 
of  final  award. 

Our  accountability  is  perfect.  It  includes  every 
thing  praiseworthy  and  every  thing  blameworthy. 
The  matter,  the  manner,  and  the  motive  of  our  ac- 
tions and  words  shall  undergo  the  scrutiny  of  him 


HUMAN     ACCOUNTABILITY.  85 

who  never  errs.  "  God  shall  bring  every  work  into 
judgment  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good 
or  whether  it  be  evil."     (Eccl.  12 :  14.) 

This  accountability  shall  last  forever.  There  will 
be  immortal  rationality,  and  of  course  everlasting 
responsibility.  The  relations  between  God  and  the 
soul  for  ever  remaining  the  same,  accountability 
must  be  the  same.  Suffering  will  not  end  it.  Hap- 
piness cannot  terminate  it.  There  is  no  such  thing 
as  annihilation.  In  the  divine  government  there  is 
no  statute  of  limitation. 

The  full  rigours  of  this  responsibility  may  be  felt 
at  any  moment  God  may  and  sometimes  does  give 
warning  of  the  approaching  summons.  But  he  is 
not  bound  to  do  it ;  and  in  millions  of  cases  he  does 
not. 

There  are  several  dangerous  popular  mistakes  on 
this  subject.  One  is  that  settled  malignity  of  pur- 
pose is  necessary  to  constitute  guilt ;  whereas  the 
absence  of  right  intentions  and  right  affections  is 
enough  to  involve  any  man  in  ruin.  Omission  is  as 
criminal  as  commission.  Nor  is  any  man  capable  of 
estimating  criminality  aright.  The  law  offended  is 
infinite,  the  God  sinned  against  is  worthy  of  ever- 
lasting confidence  and  obedience.  No  man  can  tell 
the  extent  of  the  mischief  wrought  by  even  one 
transgression.  Nor  is  the  length  of  time  employed 
in  committing  a  wrong  any  standard  by  which  to 
determine  its  criminality.  The  enormity  of  guilt 
cannot  be  estimated  by  a  watch  or  a  clock.  Nor 
docs  inconsiderateness  of  the  fruits  of  transgression 
hinder  guilt.  It  is  often  an  aggravation  thereof. 
8* 


86"  HUMAN    ACCOUNTABILITY, 

(Prov.  26  :  18.)  He  who  can  think  and  will  not 
think  shall  be  punished  for  avoiding  reflection.  Nor 
is  the  end  of  law  revenge.  On  the  contrary  its 
great  aim  is  to  maintain  order  and  distribute  justice, 
which  is  an  amiable  attribute  in  any  one,  and  an 
essential  attnoute  in  a  good  moral  governor.  Nor 
does  repentance  of  itself  make  any  atonement. 
Even  when  genuine,  it  only  shows  that  the  party 
would  not  repeat  the  offence.  Law  takes  no  notice 
of  repentance.  It  is  in  fact  no  satisfaction  to  a  pen- 
alty. If  mercy  comes  to  sinners-it  must  be  through 
a  mediator  and  be  by  them  wholly  unmerited.  Our 
accountability  to  God  can  in  no  sense  be  impaired. 
Even  transgression  does  not  weaken  it.  In  the 
divine  arrangement  sin  itself  shall  be  made  to  estab- 
lish the  reign  of  God.  Nor  will  any  expense  be 
spared  to  maintain  accountability.  Even  among 
men  every  thing  is  risked  for  this  end,  unless  gov- 
ernment is  weak  or  vicious. 

In  estimating  the  extent  of  accountability,  we 
may  note  the  following  among  other  particulars  : 

1.  We  are  accountable  for  all  the  evil,  which  we 
might  personally  have  hindered  and  did  not.  Tins 
is  just.  Tbe  human  conscience  says  so.  God's 
word  settles  the  point  :  "If  thou  forbear  to  deliver 
them  that  are  drawn  unto  death,  and  those  that  are 
ready  to  be  slain  ;  *  f  thou  gayest,  Behold,  we  knew 
it  not ;  doth  not  he  that  pondereth  the  heart  consi- 
der it?  and  he  that  keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  not  he 
know  it?  and  shall  not  he  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  works."     (Prov.  24:  11,  12.) 

2.  We  arc  accountable  for  all  the  good  which  we 


HUMAN    ACCOUNTABILITY.  87 

might  have  done,  We  are  required  to  do  good  unto 
all  men  as  we  have  opportunity.  The  occasion  and 
ability  to  do  good  impose  an  obligation  to  do  it. 
Paul  says:  "If  there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is 
accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath." 

3.  Our  accountability  extends  to  all  the  evil 
which  we  might  have  caused  others  to  prevent. 
Thus  Eli  might  have  preserved  the  honor  of  reli- 
gious worship  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  if  he  had 
used  all  his  authority  to  restrain  his  sons.  If  a  city 
is  on  fire  and  one  knows  it  and  keeps  silence,  and 
his  neighbours  are  burned  up  because  he  refused  to 
give  the  alarm  to  those  near  him  that  they  might 
give  it  to  others,  blood  is  found  in  his  skirts. 

4.  Our  accountability  extends  to  the  evils  which 
we  ass.sted  others  in  doing.  One  reason  why  min- 
isters may  not  ordain  incompetent  men  to  the  min- 
istry is,  that  in  so  doing  they  become  partakers  of 
other  men's  sins.  (1  Tim.  v:  22.)  We  may  not 
lend  a  deadly  weapon  to  commit  murder.  We  may 
not  endorse  the  character  of  the  swindler.  lie  that 
biddeth  the  wrong- doer  God  speed  is  partaker  of  his 
evil  deeds.     (2  John  11.) 

5.  Our  accountability  extends  to  all  the  good 
which  we  might  have  influenced  others  to  do.  A 
minister  of  the  gospel  is  bound  to  do  all  he  person- 
ally can.  He  is  no  less  obliged  to  use  his  best 
endeavors  to  persuade  his  people  to  do  the  same. 
This  is  also  true  of  parents,  magistrates,  teachers 
and  all  guides.  Some  think  to  escape  condemna- 
tion, because  they  say  they  do  no  harm.  Thus  rea- 
soned the  man  with  one  talent.     He  hid  it.     lie  did 


88  HUMAN   ACCOUNTABILITY. 

not  expend  it  in  wantonness  nor  in  plans  of  treason. 
He  retained  it  harmlessly,  but  his  guilt  was  upon 
him. 

6.  Of  course  our  accountability  extends  to  our 
actions.  The  deeds  done  in  the  body  are  fit  matters 
of  responsibility.  Even  human  governments  ex- 
tend to  overt  actions  ;  and  the  law  of  public  senti- 
ment condemns  and  punishes  overt  acts  of  injustice, 
unkindness  or  unmercifulness,  even  where  munici- 
pal law  t  kes  no  cognizance  of  the  delinquency. 
"  To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good  and  doeth  it  not, 
to  him  it  is  sin."     (James  iv:   17.) 

7.  We  are  accountable  for  our  words.  This  is 
right.  Life  and  death  are  in  the  power  of  the 
tongue.  Most  of  the  happiness  and  misery  in  the 
world  is  the  fruit  of  the  lips.  For  every  idle 
word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 
to  God.  (Matt,  xii:  36.)  This  is  no  new  doc- 
trine. Long  before  the  flood,  Enoch  warned  the 
wicked  that  at  his  coming  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth  would  bring  them  to  account  not  only  for  their 
ungodly  deeds,  but  also  for  all  their  hard  speeches 
which  ungodly  sinners  have  spoken  against  him. 
(Jude  15.)  Even  human  governments  in  many 
cases  hold  men  responsible  for  their  words,  and  uni- 
versal public  sentiment  holds  every  man  responsible 
for  what  he  says  of  his  neighbours.  God's  govern- 
ment over  this  world  would  not.be  perfect  if  he  did 
not  call  us  to  an  account  for  our  slanders  and  libels 
and  jibes  and  insinuations  against  him  and  his  gov- 
ernment of  the  world. 

8.    Our  accountability  extends   to  our  thoughts. 


HUMAN    ACCOUNTABILITY.  80 

Hear  the  Scriptures:  "As  a  man  thinkoth  in  his 
heart,  so  is  he."  (Frov.  xxiii  :  7.)  "  The  thought 
of  foolishness  is  sin."  (Frov.  xxiv:  9.)' 'The  thoughts 
of  the  wicked  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord." 
(Frov.  xv:  26.)  "Let  the  unrighteous  man  for- 
sake his  thoughts."  (Isa.  lv:  7.)  "0  Jerusalem, 
how  long  shall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge  within  thee  ?" 
(Jer.  iv :  14.)  "The  word  of  God  is  a  discerner 
of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart."  (Heb. 
iv:  12.)  "Fray  "God,  if  perhaps  the  thoughts  of 
thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee."  (Acts  viii :  22.) 
With  these  manifold  declarations  of  Scripture,  com- 
mon sense  unites  its  testimony. 

9.  Our  accountability  includes  all  our  feelings 
and  affections.  This  is  every  where  asserted  in 
Scripture.  The  tenth  commandment  forbids  us  to 
desire  any  thing  belonging  to  our  neighbour.  (Ex. 
xx :  17.)  Scripture  pronounces  unreasonable  or 
outrageous  anger  and  all  hatred  to  be  murder. 
(1  John  iii:  15;  iv:  20;  Matt,  v:  22.)  It  de- 
clares lust  to  be  adultery.  (Matt,  v:  27,  28.)  It 
wages  war  against  all  envy,  all  jealousy,  all  revenge, 
and  all  bitterness.  It  condemns  the  want  of  love 
to  enemies,  the  want  of  forgiveness  even  to  perse- 
cutors. It  condemns  all  wrong  feelings,  and  all 
want  of  right  feeling3. 

10.  Our  accountability  extends  to  the  use  we 
make  of  our  property.  It  declares  us  to  be  stew- 
ards, not  proprietors.  It  pronounces  a  great  bless- 
ing on  one  who  out  of  penury  contributes  his  mite 
to  the  cause  of  God. 

11.  Our  accountability  extends  not  only  to  all  we 


90  HUMAN   ACCOUNTABILITY. 

have,  but  to  all  we  are.  It  declares:  "Ye  are  not 
your  own."  It  claims  us  entire,  soul,  body  and  spi- 
rit. It  requires  us  to  present  our  whole  selves  will- 
ing sacrifices  on  the  altar  of  God.  (Rom.  xii:  1.) 
12.  In  ascertaining  the  extent  of  our  accounta- 
bility, no  deduction  is  to  be  made  for  the  strength 
of  temptation,  for  a  door  of  escape  is  always  pro- 
vided. (1  Cor.  x:  18;)  nor  for  the  suddenness  of 
the  temptation ;  nor  for  the  weakness  of  our  resolu- 
tion ;  nor  for  the  seeming  smallne'ss  of  the  offence. 
Un watchfulness  is  itself  a  sin,  and  one  sin  cannot 
excuse  another.  A  feeble  purpose  to  do  right  is 
itself  criminal  and  is  fit  matter  of  repentance.  The 
worthies  mentioned  in  Hebrews  xi :  83-88,  obtained 
their  good  report  by  discarding  all  such  false  reason- 
ings. They  were  sorely  tempted  but  they  surely 
triumphed. 


DEDUCTIONS   FROM   CHAPTER   VI.  91 


CHAPTER  VII. 

DEDUCTIONS    FROM   CHAPTER   VI. 

If  the  statements  of  the  preceding  chapter  are 
sound  and  correct,  then  it  follows  : 

I.  That  there  is  no  need  of  more  than  two  states 
beyond  the  grave  to  embrace  the  whole  human  fam- 
ily. All  saints  are  substantially  alike.  They  are 
more  and  more  so,  as  they  increase  in  fitness  for 
heaven.  There  is  no  radical  difference  between 
them.'  There  is  no  need  of  more  than  one  Para- 
dise. God  has  revealed  but  one.  $"0  christian 
desires  any  more,  Nor  is  there  any  need  for  more 
than  one  hell.  All  sinners  are  alike  in  this,  that 
they  have  sinned,  have  sinned  with  consent,  have  in 
their  hearts  unbelief,  ingratitude,  impenitence  and 
rebellion  against  God.  They  have  no  love  to  God, 
no  pious  fear  of  God,  no  hope  in  God,  no  trust  in 
the  Almighty,  no  spiritual  taste,  no  spiritual  dis- 
cernment, no  holiness,  no  spiritual  life.  They  all 
deserve  wrath.  They  are  all  justly  condemned. 
The  most  vicious  and  the  least  vicious  among  the 
unregencrate  are  sufficiently  alike  to  be  put  in  the 
same  prison-house.  No  man  can  tell  who  is  the 
greatest  transgressor,  he  who  has  enriched  himself 
by  fraud  and  cruelty,  or  he  who  has  made  himself 
poor  by  his  vices. 

II,  Virtue  is  not  her  own  sufficient  reward,  nor  is 


92  DEDUCTIONS   FROM   CHAPTER    VI. 

vice  its  own  adequate  punishment.  Some  men 
assert  the  contrary,  but  no  man  believes  it.  Slan- 
der, perjury,  theft,  murder  are  vicious  acts,  but  no 
man  regards  them  as  adequate  punishments  to  them- 
selves. The  criminal  code  of  every  country  decides 
that  some  further  punishment  is  condign,  isor  do 
temporal  rewards  or  punishments  bear  any  just  pro- 
portion to  the  merits  or  demerits  of  many  acts. 
Even  if  a  penal  death  is  full  recompense  for  one 
murder,  it  cannot  be  for  two  or  for  twenty  murders. 
Even  the  maledictions  of  an  injured  world  roach  not 
beyond  the  tomb.  Kor  is  society  possessed  of  full 
means  to  recompense  every  virtuous  action.  "Where 
can  be  found  a  more  virtuous  member  of  society 
than  the  pious  mother,  who  devotes  herself  to  the  child 
God  has  given  her  ?  Day  and  night  she  watches 
his  infancy  and  constantly  supplicates  the  divine  bles- 
sing on  his  life  and  on  his  soul.  She  teaches  him 
all  that  can  adorn,  elevate  and  sanctify  his  charac- 
ter. At  twelve  years  of  age  he  sickens  and  is  per- 
suaded that  he  cannot  live.  Calling  her  to  his 
dying  pillow,  he  says  :  "  Mother,  I  must  now  leave 
you— you  have  been  a  good  mother  to  me—I  can- 
not pay  you— =God  reward  you  for  all  your  love  and 
kindness."  He  then  bids  her  farewell  and  leaves 
the  world.  Has  he  paid  her  the  debt  he  owed  ? 
Have  her  toil  and  self-donial  been  full  compensa- 
tion ?  Is  there  no  recompense  to  such  a  mother 
beyond  the  bounds  of  time?  Will  a  just  God  place 
her  <>u  a  level  with  that  thing  of  vanity,  who,  defy- 
ing the  laws  of  maternal  duty,  forsakes  her  child  to 
mingle  ia  the  giddy  danco  or  shine  in  the  brilliant 


DEDUCTIONS    FROM    CHAPTER    VI.  93 

saloon  ?  Not  only  are  not  vice  and  virtue  adequate 
rewards  to  themselves,  but  clearly  they  are  not  ade- 
quately rewarded  here. 

ILL  Let  us  not  be  distressed  at  beholding  the  indis- 
criminateness  in  the  distribution  of  good  and  evil. 
This  shows  that  some  recompense  is  to  be  looked  for 
beyond  this  life.  If  God  makes  his  sun  shine 
upon  the  good,  he  does  not  withhold  his  cheering 
rays  from  the  evil.  If  he  sends  his  rain  on  the 
just,  he  does  not  leave  the  unjust  to  perpetual 
drought.  (Matt,  v  :  45.)  The  waves  that  sink  the 
vessel  of  the  profane  master  of  the  ship  engulph 
also  the  riches  of  the  pious  merchant.  War,  fam- 
ine and  pestilence,  in  their  desolations,  pay  little 
respect  to  the  abodes  of  the  righteous.  "All  things 
come  alike  to  all :  there  is  one  event  to  the  riijht- 
eous  and  to  the  wicked.'.'  (Eccl.  9:2.)  If  there 
is  no  future  settlement  between  God  and  his  crea- 
tures, this  state  of  things  cannot  be  reconciled  with 
justice.  He  who  surrenders  the  belief  of  future 
rewards  and  punishments,  if  logically  consistent, 
cannot  escape  the  abyss  of  atheism.  It  is  no  worse 
to  believe  that  there  is  no  God  than  to  assert  that 
God's  moral  character  is  bad.  Lord  Bacon  says : 
"It  were  better  to  have  no  opinion  of  God  at  all,  than 
such  an  opinion  as  is  unworthy  of  him  ;  for  the  one 
is  unbelief,  the  other  is  contumely."  Plutarch  says : 
■ '  I  had  rather  a  great  deal  men  should  say,  there 
was  no  such  man  at  all  as  Plutarch,  than  that  they 
should  say,  there  was  one  Plutarch,  who  would  eat 
his  children  as  soon  as  they  were  born ;  as  the  poets 
speak  of  Saturn." 
9 


94  DEDUCTIONS    FROM    CHAPTER    VI. 

IV.  The  Scriptures  and  our  observation  go  yet 
further,  and  shew  that  often  the  righteous  is  greatly 
afflicted,  while  his  ungodly  neighbour  dwells  at  ease. 
This  has  long  been  a  source  of  perplexity  to  the 
saints.  They  have  seen  that  many  of  the  wicked 
"  are  not  in  trouble  as  other  men:  neither  are 
they  plagued  like  other  men  ;  their  eyes  stand  out 
with  fatness  ;  they  have  more  than  heart  could  wish." 
On  the  other  hand  it  often  looks  as  if  the  pious  had 
cleansed  their  hearts  in  vain,  and  washed  their  hands 
in  innocency ;  for  all  the  day  long  have  they  been 
plagued  and  chastened  every  morning.  More  or 
less  have  these  things  been  seen  in  every  age.  The 
facts  are  undeniable.  Yet  the  character  of  God  is 
unimpeachable.  There  must  be  a  recompense  to 
come.  This  state  of  things  will  not  last  always. 
Eternity  is  the  continuance  of  an  existence  begun  in 
time.  It  shall  bring  rest  to  the  righteous,  and  tribu- 
lation to  the  wicked.  God  will  amply  prove  that 
his  ways  are  just  and  equal.  Give  him  tune  and  all 
shall  see  it. 

V.  There  must  be  a  future  account  in  or- 
der to  make  the  utterances  of  conscience  in  this 
life  truthful.  The  world  over  mankind  expect 
retribution.  For  nearly  six  thousand  years,  vic- 
tims have  been  slain  and  altars,  have  smoked, 
self-tortures  have  been  inflicted  and  men  have 
howled  for  anguish,  in  anticipation  of  a  coming 
judgment.  This  has  been  so  even  where  men  be- 
lieved their  objects  of  idolatrous  worship  to  be  mon- 
sters of  perfidy,  lewdness  and  revenge.  Their 
thoughts  accuse  them  of  want  of  conformity  to  a 


DEDUCTIONS  FROM  CHAPTER  VI.      05 

higher  and  holier  being  to  whom  they  are  responsi- 
ble. Many  would  give  all  they  are  worth  in  the 
world  to  have  even  one  sin  blotted  from  the  tablet  of 
their  memory  and  from  the  book  of  God's  remem- 
brance. Their  souls  look  for  light,  and  behold  dark- 
ness. They  seek  joy  and  behold  bitterness.  These 
mighty  monitions  are  not  limited  to  sect,  or  sex,  or 
age,  or  condition.  They  trouble  the  tyrant,  who 
reduces  cruelty  to  a  system.  They  annoy  the  lowest 
wrong-doer.  No  might  or  meanness  in  mortality 
but  knows  their  power.  In  our  language  no  wTord  is 
better  understood  by  all  classes  than  the  word  re- 
morse. It  is  the  pain  of  guilt.  It  is  the  gnawing 
of  the  worm  that  never  dies.  It  is  a  drop  of  the 
divine  wrath  fallen  into  the  soul  before  the- tempest 
has  fully  come.  It  is  the  work  of  torment  begun 
before  the  day  of  retribution  has  arrived.  Thus 
men  know  and  feel.  Even  a  conscience  seared  as 
with  a  hot  iron  may  all  of  a  sudden  be  tilled  with 
flames  of  fire.  Do  these  things  not  point  to  a  future 
reckoning  ? 

VI.  *VVe  need  not  much  perplex  ourselves  to  an- 
swer the  false  doctrines  of  those  who  assert  that  no 
motive  or  consideration  should  influence  us  to  avoid 
sin  and  perform  duty  except  such  as  are  mild  and 
addressed  to  pure  and  gentle  natures.  "What  does 
the  perjurer  care  for  the  beauties  of  truth,  the  love- 
liness of  rectitude  ?  Some  say  wre  must  appeal  to 
men's  honor,  but  at  least  a  part  of  mankind  have  no 
honor  to  appeal  to ;  and  those  who  talk  most  of 
honor  generally  have  the  least.  When  a  doctrine 
makes  a  solemn  oath  a  solemn  farce,  it  is  dangerous 


96  DEDUCTIONS    FROM    CHAPTER   VI. 

to  adopt  it  even  for  a  moment.  When  Jesus  Christ 
would  make  his  followers  triumphant  even  in  martyr- 
dom, he  does  not  fail  to  remind  them  that  the  flames 
of  hell  are  hotter  than  the  burning  pitch.  Armed 
with  the  whole  doctrine  of  retribution, .  ten  times 
ten  thousands  have  bled  and  died  in  the  cause  of 
truth  and  righteousness.  But  who  ever  died  for  the 
doctrine  of  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  ?  The  mar- 
tyrs tell  us  what  supported  them  :  "  If  we  have  hope 
only  in  this  life,  we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable." 
At  the  last  day  God  will  wipe  off  all  aspersions  from 
our  characters.  He  will  then  bring  forth  our  right- 
eousness as  the  light,  and  in  the  presence  of  an 
assembled  universe  will  say,  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servants,  enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord." 
Thus  the  dying  saints  believed  and  triumphed.  To 
say  that  any  philosophical  dreams  or  fine  spun  theo- 
ries or  virtue  ever  produced  such  victories  is  noto- 
riously and  outrageously  untrue.  No,  God  has  not 
left  us  to  theoues.  We  have  his  word:  "We 
know  him  that  saith,  I  will  recompense;"  "The 
wages  of  sin  is  death  ;"  "  Whatsoever  a  man  sow- 
eth  that  shall  he  also  reap  ;"  "It  is  appointed  unto 
men  once  to  die  and  after  that  the  judgment."  Let 
us  hold  fast  the  truths  and  doctrines  of  God's  word. 
VII.  If  such  is  the  doctrine  of  accountability, 
and  if  on  such  principles  God  will  reckon  with  men, 
then  believers  in  his  word  may  well  pity  and  forgive 
their  bitterest  foes,  and  utterly  refuse  to  carry  a 
grudge,  or  bear  malice,  or  wish  ill  to  any  human 
being.  Like  Jesus  let  us  pray  even  for  enemies  as 
yet  unrelenting,   "Father,  forgive  them  ;  they  know 


DEDUCTIONS   FROM   CHAPTER   VI.  97 

not  what  they  do."  Like  dying  Stephen  let  us  pray 
for  our  fierce  murderers,  "  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to 
their  charge,"  lie,  who  does  a  wrong,  is  much 
more  in  need  of  pardon  and  pity  from  God  and 
man,  than  he  who  suffers  .wrong.  Chalmers  says: 
"  The  little  that  I  have  seen  in  the  world  and 
known  of  the  history  of  mankind  teaches  me  to  look 
upon  their  errors  in  sorrow,  not  in  anger.  "When  I 
take  the  history  of  one  poor  heart  that  has  sinned 
and  suffered,  and  represent  to  myself  the  struggles 
and  temptations  it  has  passed  through  ;  the  brief 
pulsations  of  joy  ;  the  tears  of  regret ;  the  feeble- 
ness of  purpose ;  the  scorn  of  the  world  that  has  lit- 
tle charity  ;  the  desolation  of  the  soul's  sanctuary,  and 
threatening  voices  within  ;  health  gone,  happiness 
gone  ;  I  would  fain  leave  the  erring  soul  of  my  fel- 
low-man with  Him,  from  whose  hands  it  came." 
0  thou  unforgiving,  spiteful  man,  hear  the  awful 
voice  of  Jehovah:  "Vengeance  is  mine;  I  will 
repay,  saith  the  Lord."     Hear  and  forgive. 

REMARKS. 

1.  We  need  not  much  concern  ourselves  with  the 
prosperity  of  the  wicked.  It  will  be  very  short- 
lived. It  will  soon  be  gone.  Strange  that  the 
Lord  should  see  it  necessary  to  say  :  "  Fret  not 
thyself  because  of  evil-doers,  neither  be  thou  en- 
vious against  the  workers  of  iniquity."  "  I  tremble 
for  those  who  have  lived,  and  still  live,  to  amass 
wealth  for  selfish  ends.  There  is  no  gold  in  the 
world   where  they  are  going.     It  is  the  world  of 


98      DEDUCTIONS  FROM  CHAPTER  VI, 

penury  and  want,  of  craving  desire  and  no  supply. 
To  an  avaricious  man  it  is  the  mad-house  of  pov- 
erty and  despair."  To  the  ambitious  man,  it  is  the 
black  hole  of  torment  and  disappointment.  To  the 
violent  it  is  the  lion's  cage.  To  the  voluptuous  it  is 
the  barrenness  and  dreariness  of  perpetual  exile 
from  every  living  fountain  of  joy. 

2.  Nor  should  we  be  cast  down  with  overmuch 
sorrowT  at  the  sufferings  of  saints.  Sanctified  afflic- 
tions lead  to  glory  and  honor  at  the  appearing  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  troubles  of  the  re- 
deemed will  soon  come  to  a  full  and  a  glorious  end ; 
and  then  their  recompense  will  begin— a  reward  not 
the  less  because  all  of  grace.  Good  men  have  long 
suffered  severely ;  but  they  shall  soon  triumph  glo- 
riously. The  God,  who  helped  the  saints  of  old, 
will  never  forget  or  forsake  his  chosen  ones,  The 
sorer  our  trials,  the  more  steadily  let  us  remember 
that  God's  most  inscrutable  ways  are  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and  truth. 
"  God's  way  is  in  the  sea,  where  no  man  can  wade 
unless  God  go  before  him,  and  where  an}T  man  may 
walk,  if  God  take  him  by  the  hand,  and  lead  him 
through." 

3.  Let  christians,  who  give  evidence  that  they  are 
walking  with  God,  not  be  unfruitful  in  the  things  of 
religion.  Let  them  abound  in  hope,  in  zeal,  in 
pitience  and  in  good  works.  Let  them  not  dole  out 
a  little  service  to  the  honor  of  their  Master.  Let 
them  not  be  afraid  of  being  too  humble,  too  self- 
denying  or  too  much  like  Christ.  True  love  "gives 
like  a  thoughtless  prodigal  its  all."     Very  gladly 


DEDUCTIONS    FROM    CHAPTER    VI  99 

ought  we  to  bring  presents  and  offer  all  we  have  and 
are  to  him,  who  is  greatly  to  be  praised,  and  who 
has  freely  and  richly  given  us  all  things  needful  for 
life  and  for  salvation  also.  When  we  give  him  all, 
we  but  give  him  his  own,  for  he  is  Lord  of  all. 

4.  Let  those  who  walk  untenderly,  and  are  of 
doubtful  christian  character  remember  that  they  are 
in  great  danger.  The  day  of  their  account  may 
come  as  a  thief  in  the  night  Their  love  of  ease, 
of  gain,  of  pleasure  and  of  public  esteem  are  great 
snares,  Let  them  beware  how  even  for  one  day 
more  they  fail  to  make  proper  preparation  for  under- 
going the  examination  of  God.  Only  he  that  walk- 
eth  uprightly  walketh  safely.  Every  one's  case  is 
dangerous  in  proportion  as  his  walk  is  untender.  If 
men  forsake  the  Almighty,  let  them  not  be  surprised 
if  the  Almighty  forsakes  them. 

5.  Those,  who  do  not  profess  religion  have 
and  ought  to  feel  a  lively  concern  in  the  doctrine  of 
accountability.  Men  do  not  get  rid  of  responsibil- 
ity by  denying  it,  by  forgetting  it,  by  failing  to  con- 
fess it.  The  thoughtless  wretch,  who  lives  like  an 
atheist  and  dies  like  a  brute,  shall  be  held  to  as 
strict  an  account  as  the  gravest  Christian  or  the 
most  reverent  divines.  0  thoughtless  man,  0  wicked 
man,  what  wilt  thou  say  when  God  shall  deal  with 
thy  soul  I 


100  RESPONSIBILITIES   OF 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

RESPONSIBILITIES    OF   EDUCATED   MEW. 

Responsibility  is  in  proportion  to  endowments, 
advantages  and  opportunities.  This  is  right.  Tims 
men  judge.  ' '  To  whom  men  have  committed  much, 
of  him  will  they  ask  the  more."  Thus  God  has 
said  he  will  decide  in  the  last  day.  "For  unto 
whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much 
required." 

If  this  is  so,  then  educated  and  professional  men 
are  under  vast  obligations  to  lead  exemplary  lives. 
They  should  live  and  act  under  the  solemn  impres- 
sion that  nothing  is  so  important  as  salvation ;  that 
no  risk  is  comparable  to  the  risk  of  perdition ;  and 
that  all  other  losses  are  sunk  out  of  sight  in  view  of 
the  loss  of  the  soul.     These  truths  are  clear : 

I.  There  are  great  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  sal- 
vation of  such.  It  is  not  easy  for  any  man  to  be 
saved.  All  men  have  hearts  naturally  leading  them 
away  from  God.  They  are  by  nature  children  of 
wrath  and  children  of  disobedience.  They  love  not 
God,  till  renewed  by  his  grace.  Every  service 
acceptable  to  God  involves  sacrifices  disagreeable 
to  the  natural  heart.  These  things  are  common 
to  all  men. 

Besides  these  things  many  educated  and  profes- 


EDUCATED  MEN.  101 

eional  men  arc  by  inheritance,  or  by  successful 
attention  to  business,  possessed  of  wealth.  The 
greatest  teacher  earth  ever  saw  said:  "  How  hardly 
shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  the  Kingdom  of 
God!"  Besides,  many  who  have  not  wealth  love 
it,  desire  it,  and  are  determined  to  spare  no  pains  to 
gain  it.  One  of  the  universal  principlesof  Imman- 
uel's  empire  is  that  coveteousness  is  idolatry,  so  that 
if  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father 
is  not  in  him. 

Educated  and  professional  men  commonly  have 
unusual  opportunities  for  gratifying  their  tastes  and 
appetites  for  carnal  pleasure.  Thus  their  salvation 
is  greatly  imperilled.  He  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is 
dead  while  he  liveth. 

Not  a  few  of  the  same  class  are  candidates  for 
public  favour  To  secure  it  they  are  sorely  tempted 
to  sacrifice  even  principle.  Instead  of  stern  inflexi- 
bility, how  many  artifices  they  adopt  quite  incon- 
sistent with  a  religious  character.  He,  who  shall 
judge  the  world,  has  said  to  the  aspiring:  "How 
can  ye  believe  who  receive  honor  one  of  another, 
and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only  ?" 

Moreover,  it  would  be  remarkable  if  in  the  course 
of  education  no  unhappy  impressions  concerning 
religious  truth  and  obligation  had  been  made. 
Many  an  education  is  so  conducted  or  so  abused 
as  to  fill  the  mind  with  self-conceit— a  great  foe  to 
personal  piety.  In  schools  of  every  grade  bad 
examples  are  not  rare ;  dangerous  principles  are 
avowed ;  sinful  practices  become  familiar.  The 
sneers  of  the  French  infidel,  or  the  skepticism  of 


102  RESPONSIBILITIES    OF 

the  German  Geologist  may  never  have  polluted  his 
ears  ;  but  favored  has  been  the  lot  of  him,  who  has 
never  heard  the  ribaldry  of  the  genteel  vulgar,  or 
the  inuendos  of  cunning  men  making  pretension  to 
learning,  liberality  and  refinement.  It  shall  be  for 
a  lamentation  that  so  many  malign  and  so  few  bene- 
ficent influences  unite  in  the  course  of  education. 

But  if  education  is  finished  under  the  most  favor- 
able circumstances,  many  dangers  beset  the  path  to 
usefulness  and  eminence.  Unbridled  desires  of  suc- 
cess drive  away  thoughts  of  God,  of  salvation  and 
of  eternity.  If  the  usual  avenues  to  promotion 
seem  closed,  a  brood  of  restless  and  malignant  pas- 
sions seek  to  kennel  in  the  bosom.  If  success  seems 
possible,  ambition  becomes  keen.  If  su3cess  is 
attained,  vast  is  the  load  of  care  brought  with  it. 
In  most  places  professional  duties  become  so  onerous 
as  to  tempt  men  to  believe  and  act  as  if  necessity 
were  laid  upon  them  to  neglect  the  whole  course  of 
religious  duties.  It  is  fearful  to  see  how  practical 
irreligion  pervades  the  higher  classes.  Ask  such  to 
read  valuable  religious  works,  and  their  reply  is 
they  have  no  time.  Remind  them  that  one  day  in 
seven  is  by  their  Creator  appropriated  to  religious 
study  and  devotion,  and  they  plead  the  urgency  of 
professional  calls,  or  the  necessity  of  relaxation. 
Thus  they  bring  on  their  souls  the  withering  effects 
of  deliberately  and  habitually  devoting  sacred  time 
to  secular  pursuits. 

Nor  are  pfoua  men  of  the  educated  and  profes- 
sional classes  always  as  useful  to  their  associates  as 
they  should  be.     Some  exhibit  offensive  peculiari- 


EDUCATED  MEN.  103 

ties.  Some  arc  not  yet  rid  of  half  their  false  rea- 
sonings. The  skeptic  has  read  Hume  and  Paine,  but 
his  pious  friend  has  never  read  the  answers  of 
Campbell,  Watson  and  Fuller.  He  is  not  prepared 
to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  him.  Shame 
on  some  professors,  who  show  a  criminal  cowardice 
in  defending  religious  truth  even  when  a  fit  oppor- 
tunity offers.  No  politeness  can  justify  us  in  allow- 
ing a  fellow-creature  to  hug  a  dangerous  delusion, 
when  a  fearless  exhibition  of  truth  might  save  his 
soul.  On  religion  all  men  are  far  from  being  cour- 
ageous ;  yet  hardly  any  thing  is  more  needed  than 
genuine  intrepidity. 

In  1694  a  child  was  born  at  Paris.  Early  in  life 
he  gave  evidence  of  unusual  powers.  He  lived  to 
mould  the  literature,  wit  and  moral  sentiments  of 
several  nations.  Kings  courted  him.  The  rabble 
lauded  him.  His  versatile  powers  were  one  clay 
employed  in  a  cause  that  seemed  good ;  the  next  in 
the  cause  of  sensuality,  "At  London  he  was  a 
free-thinker,  at  Versailles  a  Cartesian,  at  Kancy  a 
Christian,  at  Berlin  an  infidel."  He  passed  through 
the  range  of  the  widest  extremes  of  seeming  virtue 
and  glaring  vice  without  apparent  emotion.  With- 
out passion  he  lived  in  excitement,  without  candor 
he  often  admitted  the  most  solemn  truths,  without 
generosity  he  squandered  his  means,  and  without 
hope  he  left  the  world.  This  man  was  Voltaire,  the 
insidious  poison  of  whoso  sentiments  is  working 
the  ruin  of  many,  who  never  read  a  page  of  his 
writings.  One  of  his  principles  was:  "Ridicule 
will  do  every  thing ;  it  is  the  strongest  of  all  wea- 


104  RESPONSIBILITIES   OF 

pons,  A  bon  mot  is  as  good  a  thing  as  a  good 
book,"  Here  he  placed  his  machinery  for  demol- 
ishing all  that  was  decent,  refining,  sacred  or  ancient 
in  human  institutions.  To  a  fearful  extent  he  suc- 
ceeded. He  dragged  down  to  the  level  of  his  own 
debasement  many  gifted  men.  These  were  followed 
by  the  rabble.  And  to  this  day  not  a  few  educated, 
or  half-educated  men  adopt  his  miserable  dogma. 
But  surely  a  jibe  is  no  argument.  A  joke  proves 
nothing.  Religion  is  too  solemn  a  theme  for  mer- 
riment, The  Bible  is  no  jest-book.  Under  eternal 
sanctions  it  demands  a  candid  and  solemn  scrutiny 
of  its  claims,  A  smile  will  never  abrogate  the  laws 
of  heaven,  or  the  rights  of  the  Most  High.  On 
sacred  themes  mirth  is  trifling  with  God.  Babes 
may  attain  to  saving  knowledge  ;  but  he  that  sports 
himself  with  the  revelations  of  God  puts  a  veil  over 
his  own  heart, 

Perhaps  some  educated  men  are  offended  at  reli- 
gious truth  by  the  ignorance  or  incompetency  of  its 
defenders,  Oftentimes  a  feeble  advocacy  is  worse 
than  none.  Sometimes  it  is  vastly  mischievous. 
"The  knowledge  whieo  ignorance  is  publicly  employed 
to  teach  will  of  course  be  believed  to  be  narrow 
indeed.  The  employment,  in  which  vulgarity  is 
summoned  to  preside,  will  bo  regarded  as  possessing 
a  strong  tincture  of  debasement."  On  minds  natu- 
rally averse  to  all  that  is  holy  the  influence  of  igno- 
rant teachers  and  feeble  defenders  of  truth  is  often 
urn  t  lamentable,  Their  silly  sayings  and  uncouth 
doings  are  remembered  and  recited  wherever  reli- 
giou  is  introduced.     In  vaiu  we  point  the  educated 


EDUCATED  MEN.  105 

to  men  of  sobriety,  urbanity,  learning  and  gigantic 
understanding,  who  have  expounded  and  maintained 
the  truth  of  God.  But  surely  it  cannot  be  right  to 
burst  the  bands  of  religious  obligation  because  fee- 
ble men  have  babbled  in  its  favor.  These  are  some 
of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  salvation  of  edu- 
cated men. 

II.    The  educated  have  some  great  advantages  and 
consequently  increased  responsibilities  respecting  religion. 

Other  things  being  equal  they  have  superior  ad- 
vantages for  gaining  sound  knowledge.  They  can 
read,  and,  if  well  educated,  they  can  read  with  plea- 
sure. To  them  a  book  is  a  lively  companion.  They 
are  apt  to  be  acquainted  with  authors  whose  thoughts 
are  stirring  and  masterly.  In  listening  to  an  argu- 
ment or  discourse,  they  are  likely  to  understand  its 
scope  and  to  have  at  hand  solutions  to  many  diffi- 
culties. It  is  a  great  thing  when  people  apprehend 
the  precise  meaning  of  able  preachers.  This  was 
felt  in  the  days  of  the  aposlles.  They  seldom  ad- 
dressed a  savage  or  a  barbarous  people.  To  a  large 
extent  their  audiences  consisted  of  those  who  had 
been  educated.  Though  an  idolater  and  a  teacher 
of  profane  mythology,  the  school -master  went  be- 
fore the  herald  of  salvation  throughout  the  Roman 
empire.  This  was  a  great  advantage  then.  So 
now  educated  men  cannot  live  in  excusable  igno- 
rance or  innocent  rejection  of  the  Gospel.  Even 
the  unlearned,  if  he  is  rightly  disposed,  may  know 
enough  of  its  truth  to  be  saved  thereby.  Much 
more  then  are  the  intelligent  wholly  without  excuse. 
"To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not, 
10 


106  RESPONSIBILITIES    OF 

to  him  it  is  sin."  "That  servant  who  knew  his 
lord's  will,  and  prepared  not  himself,  neither  did 
according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many 
stripes."     (Lukexii:  47.) 

Another  advantage  of  the  educated  arises  from 
their  influence  in  society.  Were  vicious  sentiments 
and  wicked  practices  confined  to  the  rude  and  vul- 
gar, vice  would  soon  be  clad  with  infamy.  But 
when  it  claims  for  its  patrons  those  whose  training 
ought  to  have  elevated  them  above  sordid  meanness, 
society  must  sutler.  The  ancients  had  a  fabled  tree 
called  the  Upas.  They  said  that  nothing  could  grow 
or  live  under  its  shade  ;  that  one  of  its  leaves,  borne 
by  the  winds,  would  blight  a  distant  plant;  that 
its  blossoms  and  even  its  pollen  would  destroy  vege- 
table life ;  that  all  around  it,  for  a  great  distance, 
reigned  barrenness  and  death.  The  genial  warmth 
and  showers  of  spring  and  summer  caused  many 
seeds  to  vegetate,  but  no  sooner  did  they  appear 
above  ground  than  the  blight  of  death  fell  upon 
them.  In  the  Upas  tree  behold  the  emblem  of  an 
educated,  influential  and  wicked  man.  To  his 
neighbours  he  is  polite,  but  he  murders  their  souls. 
His  manners  may  be  elegantly  polished  only  to  give 
his  vices  a  graceful  air.  A  young  and  tender  plant, 
springing  up  under  his  influence,  sickens  and  dies. 
His  example  raises  up  others  who  imitate  him  in  the 
work  of  moral  ruin.  Perhaps  few  present  charac- 
ters of  unmixed  evil.  Open  blasphemy,  boasting 
atheism,  swaggering  wickedness  and  foaming  shame 
are  now  seldom  found  among  the  educated.  The  posi- 
tion of  most  wicked  men  in  that  class  is  chiefly  one  of 


EDUCATED  MEN.  107 

negation.  Greatly  would  they  be  scandalized  if 
charged  with  hostility  to  religion .  They  say  they  would 
not  lift  a  finger  against  it.  But  then  they  would  not 
lift  a  finger  to  help  a  poor  soul  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  ;  much  less  would  they  enter  themselves. 

Sometimes  they  visit  the  house  of  God.  Perhaps 
their  deportment  is  decent,  their  attention  respectful 
and  their  criticisms  just.  But  here  the  whole  mat- 
ter ends.  They  hold  much  truth,  hut  they  hold  it  in 
unrighteousness.  They  have  studied  logic  ;  yet  they 
have  never  reasoned  so  correctly  as  to  see  that  the 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  require  of  them  personal 
holiness  and  diligent  preparation  for  a  judgment  to 
come  and  for  an  awful  eternity.  The  result  is  they 
are  not  saved.  Their  influence  is  not  on  the  side  of 
God  and  of  truth.  Their  sins  of  omission  fill  the 
catalogue.  The  best  thing  that  can  be  said  of  any 
one  of  them  is  that  he  is  a  barren  fig-tree.  He 
brings  forth  no  evil  fruit,  yet  he  brings  forth  no  good 
fruit.  But  there  is  no  character  of  mere  negation 
of  good.  Every  man  has  a  positive  side  and  his 
example  tells  with  painful  effect  on  some  one. 

Nor  is  it  harsh  or  unjustly  severe  in  God  to  hold 
men  responsible  for  sins  of  omission.  The  sentinel 
of  an  army  incurs  the  heaviest  penalty  by  neglect, 
no  less  than  by  the  willing  admission  of  spies.  He 
who  sees  one  man  about  to  murder  another,  and 
might  but  will  not  hinder  it,  cannot  be  counted  inno- 
cent. The  awful  curse  against  Meroz  was  that  in  a 
great  conflict,  endangering  the  existence  of  the 
church  of  God,  she  did  nothing.  One  of  the 
clauses  in  the  solemn  indictment  against  Belshazzar 


108  RESPONSIBILITIES   OF 

was  :   "  The  God,  in  whose  hand  thy  breath  is,  and 
whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not  glorified." 

But  let  us  take  a  more  pleasing  view  of  this  sub- 
ject. Suppose  all  attainments  and  influence  of  the 
educated  to  be  for  the  good  of  men  and  the  honor 
of  God.  A  life  of  well-doing  may  indeed  some- 
times subject  one  to  the  sneers  of  the  unthinking  or 
the  more  formal  hostility  of  the  malevolent.  But 
those  who  dwell  under  the  influence  of  such  shall 
return.  It  shall  be  a  blessing  to  know  such  a  one, 
to  love  him  and  to  abide  with  him.  It  is  not  given 
to  every  man  to  be  a  Howard,  a  Francke,  a  Benezet, 
or  a  Harlan  Page  ;  nor  to  every  educated  woman  to 
be  a  Huntington,  a  Fry,  a  More,  or  a  Newell ;  but  to 
most  of  both  sexes  is  given  more  talent  for  good 
than  is  well  employed.  Such  a  one  may  not  be  able 
to  add  a  volume  to  the  profitable  reading  of  his  day, 
nor  even  usefully  to  fill  a  page  in  a  magazine,  or  a 
column  in  a  newspaper  ;  yet  could  he  not  write  many 
private  letters  which  might  instruct  or  at  least  cheer 
some  pilgrim  on  his  heavenly  way  ?  If  once  the 
mind  is  roused  by  the  healthful  glow  of  a  kind  and 
warm  heart,  there  is  no  end  to  its  devices  for  miti- 
gating human  suffering  and  elevating  human  char- 
acter. Such  an  one  going  forth,  like  his  heavenly 
Master,  with  his  hands  full  of  blessings  to  all  around 
him,  keeps  alive  the  memory  of  truths  the  most 
important,  and,  because  unpleasant,  the  most  easily 
forgotten.  His  work  shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the 
Lord.  He  lives  not  for  applause,  but  his  memory 
shall  not  rot.  To  try  his  faith  and  to  purify  him  as 
silver,  God  may  put  him  into  the  furnace  of  afliic- 


EDUCATED  MEN.  100 

tion  and  his  soul  may  sec  troubles;  but  "to  the 
upright  light  is  sown  in  darkness;"  and  "though 
weeping  endure  for  a  night,  yet  joy  shall  come  in 
the  morning."  All  the  time  he  has  the  prayers  and 
sympathies  of  the  pious  poor.  Nor  is  he  eaten  up 
of  ennui  or  discontent.  He  may  be  ignorant  of  much 
that  is  common  in  fashionable  life,  but  then  he  has 
no  bitter  experience  of  its  baseness.  Never  will  you 
hear  him  exclaiming  with  the  unhappy  Chesterfield  : 
"I  have  run  the  silly  round  of  business  and  plea- 
sure, and  I  have  done  with  them  all.  I  have  enjoyed 
all  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  and  consequently  know 
their  futility.  I  have  been  behind  the  scenes  ;  I 
have  seen  all  the  coarse  pulleys  and  dirty  ropes 
which  move  and  exhibit  the  gaudy  machinery  ;  I 
have  seen  and  smelt  the  tallow-candles  which  illu- 
minate the  whole  decoration  to  the  astonishment 
and  admiration  of  an  ignorant  multitude.  When  I 
reflect  upon  what  I  have  seen,  and  what  I  have 
heard  and  done,  I  can  hardly  persuade  myself  that 
all  that  frivolous  hurry  and  bustle  and  pleasure  of 
the  world  had  any  reality ;  but  I  look  upon  all,  that 
has  passed,  as  one  of  those  romantic  dreams  which 
opium  commonly  occasions.  And  I  do  by  no  means 
wish  to  repeat  the  nauseous  dose  for  the  sake  of  the 
fugitive  dream."  The  true  Christian  bears  afar  dif- 
ferent testimony.  He  serves  a  good  master.  Reviled 
he  may  be  while  living,  but  when  dead  there  will  be 
no  shouting  ;  the  wicked  themselves  will  whiten  his 
sepulchre.  Even  bold  transgressors  will  praise  him, 
when  his  bright  example  and  fearless  fidelity  no  lon- 
ger condemn  their  ungodly  deeds.  And  in  the  gvdvo, 
10* 


110  RESPONSIBILITIES    OF 

'  He  sleeps  well. 
Treason  may  do  its  worst :  nor  steel  nor  poison, 
Malice  domestic,  foreign  levy,  nothing 
Can  reach  him  further.' 

A  CONTRAST. 

I  have  somewhere  met  with  something  like  the 
following  train  of  thought  respecting  two  men 
known  to  modern  history,  in  some  things  alike,  in 
others  wholly  dissimilar — Henry  Martyn  and  Lord 
Byron,  the  former  of  humble  and  the  latter  of  noble 
origin.  Both  had  superior  intellects,  quick  concep- 
tions, ardent  feelings  and  exquisite  sensibilities.  In 
early  life  both  received  very  high  honors.  Both 
were  flattered,  caressed  and  admired.  The  road  to 
fame  and  glory  lay  open  before  them  both,  and  both 
died  young  and  in  a  foreign  land.  Here  the  paral- 
lel ceases.  Martyn,  constrained  by  the  love  of  God, 
after  mature  reflection,  left  kindred  and  country  and 
fair  prospects  of  worldly  aggrandizement,  sundered 
all  the  tendcrest  ties  of  humanity,  and  presented 
himself  on  the  shores  of  heathendom,  there  to 
endure  the  contradiction  of  sinners  and  the  severi- 
ties of  missionary  life,  all  for  the  purpose  of  preach- 
ing the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  The  crimi- 
nal and  the  debased,  the  rude  and  the  violent  were 
often  his  pupils  and  companions.  He  was  permitted 
to  translate  the  Word  of  God  into  the  Ian  oriole  of 
Persia,  and  to  lay  a  copy  on  the  throne  of  that 
empire.  He  disputed  with  the  learned  doctors  of 
Mohammedanism,  and  told  them  the  story  of  Jesus. 
With  nervous  sensibilities  exquisitely  wrought,  he 
yet  endured  almost  incredible  sufferings  in  traversing 


EDUCATED  MEN.  Ill 

sandy  deserts,  in  want,  in  hunger  and  in  sickness. 
On  the  other  hand  Byron,  rebellious  against  the 
laws  of  his  Creator,  set  fast  his  affections  on  dress 
and  dogs  and  monkeys  and  hears  and  human  admi- 
ration. No  habit  of  devotion  restrained  his  turbu- 
lent passions.  No  tenderness  of  conscience  enforced 
rigorous  self-denial.  The  purlieus  of  vice  were  his 
haunts.  The  halls  of  gayety  and  splendor  were  at 
the  same  time  open  to  him.  His  genius  was  bril- 
liant. He  held  the  world  entranced.  He  sang  and 
sinned  and  sinned  and  sang,  until  he  was  a  wreck. 
It  would  he  more  than  a  mere  gratification  of  curi- 
osity—-it  would  give  lessons  of  wisdom — could  we 
penetrate  the  deep  recesses  of  these  men's  hearts. 
They  have  furnished  us  the  means.  Each  of  them 
has  written  his  thoughts  upon  anniversaries  in  his 
life.  Martyn  says :  "I  like  to  find  myself  employed 
usefully,  in  a  way  I  did  not  expect  or  foresee.  The 
coming  year  is  to  he  a  perilous  cue,  but  my  life  is 
of  little  consequence,  whether  I  finish  the  Persian 
New  Testament  or  not.  I  look  back  with  pity  on 
myself  when  I  attach  so  much  importance  to  my 
life  and  labors.  The  more  I  see  of  my  own  works, 
the  more  I  am  ashamed  of  them,  for  coarseness 
and  clumsiness  mar  all  the  works  of  man.  I  am 
sick  when  I  look  at  the  wisdom  of  man,  but  am 
relieved  by  reflecting  that  we  have  a  city,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God.  The  least  of  his  works 
is  refreshing.  A  dried  leaf  or  a  straw  makes  me 
feel  in  good  company ;  and  complacency  and  admi- 
ration take  the  place  of  disgust,  "What  a  momen- 
tary duration  is  the  life  of  man  !"     "  Labitur  et  labe- 


112  RESPONSIBILITIES    OF 

tur  in  omne  volubilis  cevum"  may  be  affirmed  of  the 
river ;  bat  men  pass  away  as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
exist.     Well,  let  the  moments  pass. 

"  They'll  waft  us  sooner  o'er 

This  life's  tempestuous  sea, 
Soon  we  shall  reach  the  blissful  shore 

Of  blest  eternity." 

Byron  thus  records  his  feelings  on  a  like  occasion : 
"At  twelve  o'clock  I  shall  have  completed  thirty- 
three  years !  I  go  to  my  bed  with  a  heaviness  of 
heart  at  having  lived  so  long  and  to  so  little  purpose. 
It  is  now  three  minutes  past  twelve  and  I  am  thirty- 
three. 

Eheu  fugaces,Posthume,  Poothumc, 
Labuntur  anni ; 

But  I  do  not  regret  them  so  much  for  what  I  have 
done  as  for  what  I  might  have  done."  Three  years 
later  he  writes  a  poem  on  his  last — his  thirty-sixth 
birthday.     In  that  he  says : 

"  My  days  are  in  the  yellow  leaf, 

The  fruits  and  flowers  of  love  are  gone ; 

The  worm,  the  canker,  and  the  grief 
Are  mine  alone." 

The  deaths  of  these  men  corresponded  to  their 
lives.  Martyn's  last  record  of  any  of  his  thoughts 
runs  thus  :  ';Isatin  the  orchard  and  thought  with 
sweet  comfort  and  peace  of  my  God,  in  solitude  my 
company,  my  friend  and  comforter." 

Among  Byron's  last  recorded  thoughts  was  a  wish 
that  he  might  fall  in  battle  by  the  Turkish  scimetar 
before  the  standard  of  the  false  prophet,  but  this 
W23  denied  him.     In  his  last  hours  of  rationality  no 


EDUCATED  MEN.  113 

star  of  Lope  seems  to  have  risen  upon  his  soul.  A 
delusive  gleam  of  light  from  the  polished  weapon 
of  a  Turk  was  all  that  he  saw,  and  that  but  dazzled 
and  deceived  him. 

Which  of  these  was  the  wise  and  happy  man  ? 
"Byron  declared  that  upon  the  most  careful  recol- 
lection of  his  experience  of  life,  he  could  recall  hut 
eleven  days,  in  which  he  enjoyed  himself,  and  which 
he  would  wish  to  live  over  again."  On  the  other 
hand  Martyn's  Memoir  shows  that  his  peace  was 
like  a  river.  It  is  idle  to  discuss  the  questions, 
Which  of  these  men  fell  the  safest  ?  or,  Which  of 
them  now  condemns  his  manner  of  life  on  earth  ? 
On  such  subjects  silence  is  more  expressive  than 
tongues. 

REMARKS. 

1.  There  is  a  God  that  still  judgeth  in  the  earth. 

2.  Every  human  being  on  earth  will  soon  be  in 
a  changeless  state  fearfully  wretched,  or  indescriba- 
bly blessed.     Reader,  which  shall  it  be  in  your  case? 

3.  If  you  have  had  good  advantages  of  knowing 
God's  will  and  have  not  done  it,  and  die  without 
repentance,  your  doom  will  be  just  and  frightful. 
You  "shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes." 

4.  Let  us  all  flee  to  the  only  Redeemer  of  lost 
men.     Let  us  do  it  now,  now,  NOW. 


114  ALL   MEN   ARE    SINNERS, 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ALL   MEN   ARE   SINNERS. 

In  stature,  in  complexion,  in  intellect,  in  civiliza- 
tion and  in  refinement,  the  diversity  among  men  is 
immense.  Yet  all  are  so  much  alike  that  they 
clearly  belong  to  the  human  family.  The  agree- 
ment establishes  identity  of  race.  "We  are  all  alike 
men. 

So  also  we  are  alike  sinners.  This  is  positively 
asserted  in  Scripture:  " There  is  none  righteous, 
no,  not  one :  there  is  none  that  unclerstandcth, 
there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are 
all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become 
unprofitable:  there  is  none  that  doeth  good, 
no,  not  one."  (Rom.  hi:  10-12.)  "The  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness."  (1  John  v:  19.)  There 
are  many  other  Scriptures  as  explicit.  So  that  it 
is  bald  infidelity  to  deny  that  men  are  sinners. 
Some  in  words  admit  that  men  are  sinners;  but 
merely  mean  that  their  moral  nature  has  some  slight 
obliquity.  They  deny  the  necessity  of  a  radical 
change  of  heart,  and  are  even  offended  at  the  old 
scriptural  doctrine  of  total  depravity.  To  prevent 
mistakes  let  it  be  remembered, 

1.  That  man  is  subject  to  various  sensations, 
which  are  not  in  themselves  either  sinful  or  holy. 


ALL    MEN   ARE    SINNERS.  115 

Such  are  hunger,  thirst,  weariness,  sleepiness.  Even 
some  of  the  emotions  of  the  mind  arc  not  in  their 
own  nature  either  holy  or  sinful.  Such  is  the  plea- 
sure felt  at  beholding  a  beautiful  landscape,  or  the 
terror  felt  at  the  approach  of  a  violent  tempest. 
Sinful  affections  may  coexist  with  these  emotions ; 
but  these  are  not  of  themselves  wicked.  The  same 
is  true  of  various  degrees  of  surprise,  wonder  and 
astonishment. 

2.  The  scriptural  doctrine  of  depravity  does  not 
deny  the  existence  of  many  amiable  qualities,  where 
they  are  found  to  exist.  It  does  not  deny  that  the 
mother  naturally  loves  her  child,  that  without  divine 
grace  men  are  sometimes  good  husbands,  good  sons, 
good  fathers,  good  neighbors  and  good  citizens.  It 
admits  all  this,  and  does  not  forbid  us  to  admit  and 
admire  any  good  natural  qualities. 

3.  Nor  do  the  Scriptures  teach  that  all  bad  men 
are  equally  bad.  On  the  contrary  they  guard  us 
against  such  an  error.  They  record  that  "Ahab 
the  son  of  Omri  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
above  all  that  were  before  him  ;"  that  he  "did  more 
to  provoke  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  to  anger  than 
all  the  kings  of  Israel  that  were  before  him  ;"  and 
that  "there  was  none  like  unlo  Ahab,  which  did 
sell  himself  to  work  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord."  (livings  xvi:  30,  33;  xxi:  25.)  And 
when  Christ  was  on  earth  he  saw  a  young  ruler 
so  amiable  that  our  Lord's  natural  affections  were 
drawn  out  towards  him  and  he  loved  him.  Some 
bad  men  are  worse  than  others. 

4.  Nor  do  the  Scriptures  assert  that  unrenewed 


11G  ALL    MEN    ARE    SINNERS. 

men  are  as  bad  as  they  might  be.  If  they  live 
longer  in  sin,  they  will  be  worse  men.  "Evil  men 
and  seducers  wax  worse  and  worse."  "  They  pro- 
ceed from  evil  to  evil."  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  a  very 
wicked  young  man  when  he  held  the  clothes  of  those 
who  stoned  Stephen.  But  he  was  a  worse  man,  when 
he  took  letters  to  Damascus.  And  while  seldom  if 
ever  does  a  vice  exist  solitary,  yet  rarely  are  all  the 
vices  found  in  full  strength  in  any  one  man.  Com- 
monly some  evil  becomes  dominant.  If  wicked 
men  continue  longer  in  sin,  they  will  be  worse  men 
than  they  now  are. 

5.  The  goodness  of  God  is  very  great  in  placing  re- 
straints on  human  wickedness  in  this  world.  Divine 
restraints  on  man  are  as  merciful  as  they  are  won- 
derful. Were  they  taken  oft',  earth  would  not  be 
any  where  the  abode  of  order,  thrift,  or  any  good 
thing.  God  has  hedged  up  men's  way  so  as  won- 
derfully to  check  outbursts  of  wickedness. 

6.  The  original  matter  in  depravity  is  not  a  war 
between  man  and  man,  but  a  war  between  man  and 
his  Maker.  Were  things  all  right  between  the  soul 
and  God,  they  would  be  right  in  human  society. 
Most  mercifully  in  this  world  God  makes  it  appear 
to  many  to  be  to  their  interest  to  be  kind,  and  gene- 
rous, and  just,  and  obliging.  .But  Godward  all  is 
wrong.  It  is  as  if  a  people  of  a  county  should 
renounce  and  reject  the  authority  of  their  State. 
Against  the  authority  of  the  State  all  would  be  firm 
and  united.  In  the  mean  time  among  themselves 
they  might  still  perform  all  the  offices  cf  good  neigh- 
borhood.     So  publicans  and  sinners  love  one  an- 


ALL    MEN    ARE    SINNERS.  117 

other,  salute  one  another,  befriend  one  another.  But 
towards  God  the  Judge  of  all,  men  are  firmly  set. 
With  these  explanations,  it  may  be  asserted  and 
maintained, 

I.  That  in  unrcgencrate  men  there  is  not  any 
thing,  which  the  Bible  calls  holiness.  There  can  be 
no  holiness  without  love  to  God.  Yet  to  the  uncon- 
verted, Jesus  says:  "I  know  you  that  ye  have  not 
the  love  of  God  in  you."  (John  v :  42.)  Some- 
times holiness  is  expressed  by  the  fear  of  God.  Yet 
"the  transgression  of  the  wicked  saith  within  my 
heart,  that  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes." 
(Ps.  xxxvi:  1.)  The  wicked  do  not  believe  God's 
word,  nor  rest  upon  his  Son  alone  for  salvation. 
Yet  "without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God." 
They  do  not  weep  and  blush  and  mourn  for  sin,  nor 
turn  from  it  with  loathing.  Yet,  "Except  ye  re- 
pent ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  We  must  be 
poor  in  spirit,  and  humble  ourselves  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God.  Yet,  "  the  wicked  through 
the  pride  of  his  countenance  will  not  seek  after 
God."  We  arc  saved  by  hope.  Hope  is  the  an- 
chor of  the  soul.  Yet  all  good  hope  is  through 
grace.  That  kind  of  hope  alone  can  see  a  shir  in 
the  darkest  night,  or  a  bow  in  the  blackest  cloud. 
The  holy  man  says,  "I  will  not  fear  though  an  host 
should  encamp  against  me,"  but  the  wicked  are  in 
great  fear  where  no  fear  is.  True  holiness  begets 
sobriety  and  represses  rash  ardor.  But  the  wicked 
are  as  the  horse  and  the  mule,  whose  mouth  must 
be  held  in  with  the  bit  and  bridle.  Resignation 
savs,  "Thy  will  be  done,"  and  sweetly  acquiesces 
11 


118  ALL    MEN   ARE    SINNERS. 

in  the  mind  of  God.  But  wickedness,  like  Pharaoh 
says,  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  ohey  him,  or 
like  Cain  it  cries  out,  My  punishment  is  greater  than 
I  can  bear.  Meekness  turns  its  cheek  to  the  smiter 
and  prays  for  its  persecutors.  But  the  wicked  man 
hates  his  foes,  and  renders  evil  for  evil.  Persever- 
ance holds  on  its  way  and  is  steadfast  with  God. 
But  the  goodness  of  unrenewed  men  is  like  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew.  Jesus  Christ 
clearly  taught  that  unrenewed  men  were  wholly 
without  holiness  when  he  said:  "That,  which  is 
horn  of  the  liesh,  is  flesh."  Paul  also  said:  "I 
know  that  in  me  (that  is  in  my  flesh)  dwelleth  no 
good  thing."  "The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God ;  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  be."  "The  natural  man  receivcth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  fool- 
ishness unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  for 
they  are  spiritually  discerned."  Could  language 
more  clearly  assert  that  without  regeneration  men 
are  entirely  destitute  of  holiness?  There  is  no 
soundness  in  us. 

II.  The  Scriptures  declare  us  not  only  destitute  of 
holiness;  but  they  teach  that  human  depravity  is 
something  exceedingly  stubborn  and  ungovernable. 
"The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them 
to  do  evil;"  they  "love  evil  more  than  good;"  they 
"hate  the  good  and  love  the  evil."  (Ecc.  viii:  11, 
Ps.  lii:  3,  Mic.  iii :  2.)  The  Bible  says:  "The  heart 
is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked : 
who  can  know  it ?"  (Jer.  xvii  ■  9.)  "The  heart  of 
the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil,  and  madnesss  is  in 


ALL    MEN    ARE    SINNERS.  119 

their  heart  while  they  live."  (Ecc.  ix:  3.)  "Man 
clrinketh  iniquity  like  water."  The  Scriptures  pay 
no  regard  to  the  nice  refinements  of  metaphysicians. 
They  give  us  clear,  strong,  well-guarded  statements 
respecting  our  cases  and  characters.  All  these 
statements  agree  in  representing  human  depravity 
as  very  dreadful. 

III.  Paul  has  given  us  in  Rom.  i :  21-32  an  ac- 
count of  the  outworkings  of  human  nature  among 
the  Gentiles,  who  were  without  revelation.  It  is  a 
just  delineation  of  human  nature  in  all  ages,  when 
left  to  itself.  He  says:  "When  they  knew  God, 
they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thank- 
ful, hut  became  vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their 
foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Professing  themselves 
to  be  wise,  they  became  fools ;  and  changed  the 
glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  image  made 
like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four-footed 
beasts,  and  creeping  things.  Wherefore  God  also 
gave  them  up  to  un cleanness,  through  the  lusts  of 
their  own  hearts,  to  dishonor  their  own  bodies  be- 
tween themselves :  who  changed  the  truth  of  God 
into  a  lie,  and  worshipped  and  served  the  creature 
more  than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen.  For  this  cause  God  gave  them  up  unto  vile 
affections.  And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain 
God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a 
reprobate  mind  to  do  those  things  which  are  not  con- 
venient, being  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  forni- 
cation, wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness; 
full  of  envy,  murder,  debate,  deceit,  malignity; 
whisperers,   backbiters,   haters  of  God,   despiteful, 


120  ALL    MEN  AEE   SINNERS. 

proud,  boasters,  inventors  of  evil  tilings,  disobedient 
to  parents,  without  understanding,  covenant-break- 
ers, without  natural  affection,  implacable,  unmerciful : 
who  knowing  the  judgment  of  God  that  they  which 
commit  such  things  are  worthy  of  death,  not  only  do 
the  same,  but  have  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them." 

Is  not  such  a  terrible  account  of  human  nature 
among  the  Gentiles  suited  to  make  the  impression 
that  they  are  totally  depraved  ? 

IV.  From  the  same  inspired  pen  we  have  an  ac- 
count of  the  actings  of  depraved  human  nature 
among  those  who  knew  the  true  religion.  In  Rom. 
iii:  9-23  Paul  says:  "Are  we  [Jews]  better  than 
they  [Gentiles]?  !N"o,  in  nowise:  for  we  have  be- 
fore proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are 
all  under  sin  ;  as  it  is  written,  There  is  none  right- 
eous, no,  not  one.  There  is  none  that  understandeth, 
there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all 
gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  un- 
profitable:  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not 
one.  Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre ;  with  their 
tongues  they  have  use  I  deceit ;  the  poison  of  asps 
is  under  their  lips ;  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing 
and  bitterness.  Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood. 
Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways;  and  the 
way  of  peace  have  they  not  known.  There  is  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  All  have  sinned  and 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  Does  not  such  a 
passage  clearly  show  that  we  arc  utterly  indisposed, 
disabled,  and  made  opposite  to  all  that  is  spiritually 
good,  and  that  we  are  defiled  in  all  the  faculties  of 
soul  and  body  ? 


ALL    MEN  ARE  SINNERS.  121 

V.  Now  and  then  wickedness  breaks  out  even 
in  the  young  in  an  appalling  manner.  "They  go 
astray  from  the  womb  speaking  lies."  Here  is  a 
real  case.  It  is  now  (1868)  thirty  years  since,  in  a 
family  not  free  from  reproach,  was  born  M.  One 
of  his  brothers  belonged  to  the  race  of  bruisers.  He 
actually  beat  an  opponent  to  death,  fed  from  this 
country,  went  to  England,  and  became  famous  in 
the  Prize  Ring. 

In  early  life  M.  shipped  on  board  a  vessel  bound 
to  a  distant  city  on  our  own  coast.  During  the  voy- 
age he  united  with  others  in  a  mutiny,  killing  the 
captain  and  taking  possession  of  the  vessel.  They 
sailed  in  this  way  till  they  reached  port,  where  M. 
was  arrested,  tried,  convicted  and  sentenced  to  be 
hung.  Through  the  intervention  of  friends,  the 
President  then  in  power  granted  him  a  pardon.  At 
this  time  he  was  very  young.  "While  still  a  youth 
be  became  a  resident  of  another  large  city.  Here 
he  committed  some  petty  crime,  for  which  he  was  con- 
fined in  the  House  of  Refuse.  In  a  short  time  he  set 
fire  to  the  premises.  For  this  offence  he  was  tried 
and  sentenced  to  be  buns;.  The  dreadful  doom  of 
the  youth  was  now  so  nearly  sealed  that  the  rope 
was  actually  adjusted  to  his  neck.  At  that  moment 
a  messenger  announced  a  pardon  from  the  Governor 
of  the  State.  Subsequently  in  the  same  city,  he 
committed  a  felony,  for  which  he  was  sentenced 
to  strong  prison  for  ten  years.  He  served  out  his 
whole  time,  no  pardon  coming  to  his  relief. 

Soon  afterwards  he  removed  to  the  city  where  he 
had  lived  in  early  boyhood.  Here  he  committed  a 
11* 


]22  ALL   MEN    ARE    SINNERS. 

crime,  for  which  he  was  sentenced  to  a  long  con- 
finement.    After  serving  four  years,  friends  inter- 
ceded, and  he  was  again  pardoned.      He  then  re- 
moved to  a  city,  where  he  had  never  before  resided. 
He  took  an  humble  office  in  a  shipping  house.     He 
wooed   and   won  the   hand  of  a   young  woman  to 
whom  he  was  married,  when  he  was  about  thirty 
years  old.     Some  time  after  marriage  he  conceived 
a  jealousy  towards  his  wife,  and  deceitfully  drawing 
her  to  his  lap,  plunged  a  knife  into  her  side.     The 
wound  was  supposed  to  be  fatal.     But  she  survived 
and  prosecuted  him.     He  was  arrested,  committed, 
tried  convicted   and  sentenced   to  the  penitentiary 
for  seven  years  and  six  months.     In  prison  lie  at- 
tempted to  kill  his  wife,  who  had  come  to  visit  him. 
Her  life  was  only  saved   by  an  officer.      He   has 
attempted  to  kill  the  warden.     He  has  attempted 
to  kill  two  of  his  keepers.     He  was  shot  by  one  of 
them,  but  not  mortally  wounded.     When  last  heard 
from  he  declared  he  would  not  obey  the  prison  laws. 
He  has  several  times  attempted  to  commit  murder  ; 
he  wras  actually  engaged  in  one  murder  ;    he  has 
once  been  guilty  of  arson  ;  he  has  twice  been  sen- 
tenced to  death  ;  he  has  been  in  confinement  more 
than  five-eighths  of  his  life.     He  laughs  at  the  poor 
shooting,  by  which   his  life  is  spared.     He  defies 
God  and  man.    He  foams  out  his  own  shame.   Such 
a  narrative  shews  that  the  way  of  transgressors  is 
hard,   that  the  wicked  will  do  wickedly,   that  de- 
cided youthful    depravity  is  likely  to  growT  worse, 
that  young  murderers  arc  not  to  be  reformed  by 
putting  a  rope  around  their  necks,  that  systems  of 


ALL   MEN    ARE  SINNERS.  123 

education  conducted  on  the  supposition  that  there 
is  nothing  wrong  in  man  are  false  and  ruinous, 
and  that  without  the  grace  of  God  there  is  no  tell- 
ing what  men  will  come  to. 

Now  was  this  man  wholly  depraved  ?  Was  he 
entirely  destitute  of  Gospel  holiness?  All  say  he 
was.  When  did  he  become  so  ?  After  the  commis- 
sion of  his  first  crime  ?  or  his  second  ?  after  he  had 
been  in  prison  five  years,  or  ten  ?  Was  he  not  so 
at  the  outset  of  his  career  ?  What  was  lacking  when 
his  conduct  rendered  it  necessary  for  his  keeper  to 
shoot  him?  The  love  and  fear  of  God.  Why  did 
he  plunge  the  knife  into  the  body  of  his  wife  ? 
Because  he  did  not  love  or  fear  God.  Why  did  he 
commit  arson  ?  Because  he  had  not  the  love  of  God 
in  his  heart  nor  the  fear  of  God  before  Ins  eyes. 
Why  did  he  join  in  killing  the  captain  of  his  ves- 
sel? For  the  same  reason.  He  was  wholly  desti- 
tute of  holiness.  Is  not  that  fair  reasoning  ?  Is 
there  any  flaw  in  it  ?  When  he  told  his  first  lie,  or 
swore  his  first  oath,  or  first  disobeyed  a  just  com- 
mand of  his  parents,  the  reason  was  the  same.  He 
had  no  love  of  God  in  him,  and  no  fear  of  God 
before  him,  and  that  is  total  depravity.  "  When 
once  a  man  departs  from  God,  from  that  moment  he 
loses  all  self-control,  and  falls  from  one  sin  into 
another." 

YI.  Any  fair  interpretation  of  Scripture  would 
lead  us  to  the  same  conclusion.  Before  the  flood 
"  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in 
the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually."  (Gen.  6:5.) 


124:  ALL    MEN  ARE   SINNERS. 

After  the  flood  he  said  "  tlte  imagination  of  man's 
heart  is  evil  from  his  youth."  (Gen.  viii:  21.)  The 
apostle  surely  teaches  that  men  are  totally  depraved, 
when  he  says  that  they  are  ^  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins."  If  they  are  dead,  they  have  no  spiritual  life. 
Dr.  Kevins  says  :  "  Some  object  to  the  phrase  total 
depravity  as  expressing  the  moral  condition  of  men. 
But  that  phrase,  though  technical  and  definite,  is  not 
so  strong  as  the  language  of  Scripture.  There  we 
are  said  to  be  *  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.'  The 
phrase  means  much,  but  what  ?  Why,  that  men  by 
reason  of  sin  are  the  subjects  of  death.  There  is  an 
animal  life ;  they  are  not  dead  with  respect  to  that. 
There  is  an  intellectual  life  ;  but  they  are  not  dead 
in  reference  to  that.  The  highest,  happiest,  noblest 
species  of  life  is  spiritual  life.  They  are  destitute  of 
that.  Thus  they  are  dead.  That  life  is  not  lan- 
guishing in  them.  It  is  extinct.  They  are  not 
dying.  They  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  wholly 
destitute  of  spiritual  life ;  altogether  without  holi- 
ness ;  having  no  love  to  God  ;  for  that  life  is  love." 
Indeed  more  than  750  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ, God  by  Isaiah  pronounced  on  human  nature 
that  ' '  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the 
head  there  is  no  soundness  in  it ;  but  wounds, 
and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores:  they  have  not 
been  closed,  neither  bound  up,  neither  mollified 
with  ointment"  (Is.  i:  G.)  <*A\re  are  all  as  an 
unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as 
filthy  rags."  "lie,  who  can  make  garments  of 
salvation,  and  robes  of  righteousness  of  these 
til  thy    rags    has    a    skill    in    composing    spiritual 


ALL  MEN    ARE  SINNERS.  125 

vestments,   which,  it  must    be    dangerous  to  pos- 
sess. 

REMARKS. 

1.  This  doctrine  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  cor- 
rect views  in  theology.  It  is  fundamental.  If  men 
err  here,  they  err  throughout.  If  they  are  right 
here,  they  are  probably  not  far  wrong  elsewhere. 
"It  is  in  vain,"  says  Owen,  "to  dispute  with  any 
about  justification,  who  have  not  been  duly  convinced 
of  a  state  of  sin,  and  of  its  guilt  ;  for  such  men 
neither  understand  what  they  say,  nor  that  whereof 
they  dogmatize . ' ' 

2.  In  the  dreadful  guilt  and  pollution  of  man  is 
laid  a  broad  foundation  for  the  whole  work  of  sal- 
vation. Redemption  is  necessary.  It  is  as  necessary 
as  it  is  glorious.  What  say  you,  dying  man,  what 
say  you  of  divine  things,  as  compared  with  carnal  ? 
What  say  you  of  redemption?  Will  you  hail  it 
with  joy  ?     Will  you  make  it  yours  by  faith  ? 

3.  In  order  to  salvation  men  must  be  born  again. 
Great  must  be  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart  of  a 
sinner.  Great  is  the  victory  over  sin  wrought  by 
divine  grace.  We  may  enter  heaven  without  fame, 
or  fortune,  or  family,  without  health,  or  wealth,  or 
worldly  wisdom  ;  but  not  without  regeneration. 
That  is  necessary,  and  is  the  only  remedy  for  the 
dreadful  evils  that  are  native  in  the  human  soul. 
The  love  of  Christ  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  given  unto  us  is  the  only  sovereign  cure 
of  our  dreadful  depravity.     Nothing  else  will    do. 


126  ALL    MEN  ARE  SINNERS. 

Municipal  law,  however  wise  its  criminal  code,  can 
never  renew  the  heart.  It  punishes.  It  does  not 
purify.  Philosophy  may  hold  forth  her  light. 
Moralists  may  give  good  rules.  Reason  may  clearly 
point  to  the  path  of  rectitude.  But  in  none  of  these 
is  there  any  saving  energy.  The  evil  possession  still 
cries,  Paul  I  know,  and  Jesus  I  know,  but  who  are 
you?  "There  is  no  power  can  reach  a  case  of 
death  but  God  only.  A  man,  by  human  means  and 
ministrations,  may  be  brought  back  from  the  very 
state  of  dying ;  but  when  death  has  supervened, 
these  means  are  vain.  Now  men  are  dead.  Their 
case  requires  vivification,  resurrection.  God  alone 
can  reach  it.  The  Christian  character,  that  which 
alone  renders  one  meet  for  heaven,  is  not  any  im- 
provement of  the  native  character,  but  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  new  and  different  character."  I  have  long 
since  ceased  to  wonder  at  the  doctrine  of  the  necessity 
of  the  New  Birth.  But  I  wonder  more  and  more 
that  men  should  be  offended  at  it.  The  last  hope  of 
the  sinner  is  in  that  promise  of  God:  "A  new 
heart  will  I  give  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony 
heart  out  of  your  flesh  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart 
of  flesh. "  Surely  this  is  good  news  to  the  vile.  "If 
God  insists  on  a  new  heart,  must  it  not  be  because 
the  old  one  is  wholly  incapable  of  improvement  ?" 

Ye  must  be  born  again. 


SIN   IS    HORRIBLE.  127 


CHAPTER   X. 

SIN  IS  HORRIBLE. 

Horror  is  terror  mingled  with  detestation.  It  is 
the  emotion  produced  by  objects  at  once  hateful  and 
terrible.  Sin  is  odious  and  alarming.  In  view  of 
it  Isaiah  said,  "I  am  undone;"  Jeremiah,  "  Oh 
that  my  head  were  waters  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain 
of  tears  ;"  and  David,  "Horror  hath  taken  hold 
upon  me  because  of  the  wicked  that  forsake  thy 
law."  God  himself  twice  calls  sin  a  "horrible 
thing,"  and  once  a  "  wonderful  and  horrible  thing." 
(Jer.  v:  30  ;  xxiii :  14;  IIos.  vi:  10.)  In  another 
place,  not  speaking  of  treason,  perjury  or  murder, 
but  of  sin  as  chargeable  to  every  man,  he  says, 
"  Be  astonishel,  0  ye  heavens,  at  this,  and  be  hor- 
ribly afraid,  be  ye  very  desolate,  saith  the  Lord. 
For  my  people  have  committed  two  evils  ;  they  have 
forsaken  me  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed 
them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns  that  can  hold  no 
water."     (Jer.  ii:  12,  13.) 

Wo  use  no  exaggerated  language  when  we  say 
that  Sin  is  Horrible  ;  for, 

I.  Sin  is  a  horrible  defilement.  It  is  so  spoken 
of  in  Scripture.  Because  the  inspired  writers  have 
no  epithet  more  expressive  of  that  which  is  odious, 
they  say  that    sin    is    "exceeding    sinful"      The 


128  SIN   IS    HORRIBLE. 

worst  thing  that  can  be  said  of  any  thought,  word, 
or  deed  is  not  that  it  is  mean,  injurious  to  health  or 
to  honor,  but  that  it  is  sinful.  So  the  Scriptures 
compare  a  sinful  heart  to  a  cage  of  unclean  birds 
and  to  a  sepulchre  full  of  rottenness  and  dead  men's 
bones. 

How  horrible  a  sight  is  a  battle  field,  some  days 
after  it  has  been  covered  with  dead,  who  have  not 
been  buried,  and  with  wounded,  who  have  not  been 
duly  cared  for.  Yet  an  equal  number  of  beings, 
fallen  under  sin,  present  to  our  sight  a  more  fright- 
ful appearance.  Such  wounds,  such  bruises,  such 
man<2;lin£  and  woes  earth  never  saw  as  sin  has  made 
in  the  souls  of  men.  I  have  walked  through  the  long 
wards  of  hospitals,  and  seen  my  fellow-creatures  in 
every  stage  of  disease  and  of  suffering.  Some  had 
undergone,  and  others  expected  soon  to  undergo 
painful  surgical  operations.  To  the  unaccustomed 
eye,  the  sight  was  truly  sickening.  But  some  were 
convalescent  ;  others,  it  was  hoped,  soon  would  be ; 
and  from  many  the  precious  name  of  Jesus,  which 
is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  was  heard  in  accents  of 
prayer  and  praise.  But  to  see  such  numbers  as 
unmistakably  declare  their  irreligion  either  by 
speech  or  by  their  want  of  fruit,  is  to  a  benevolent 
heart  a  sight  far  more  appalling  than  any  hospital  or 
battle-field.  In  the  latter  cases  it  is  the  body,  which 
is  mangled  and  defiled.  In  the  former  case  it  is  the 
soul,  that  is  polluted  and  dying.  Its  noble  faculties 
are  all  debased.  Its  warm  affections  are  cold  and 
dead.  Its  understanding  is  darkened.  Its  con- 
science is  defiled.    Its  will  is  the  slave  of  base  appe- 


SIN    IS    HORRIBLE.  129 

tites  and  desires.  0  how  defiling  is  sin  !  Its  spots 
cannot  be  washed  out  with  water,  and  soap  and 
nitre.  Good  men  may  not  understand  the  metaphy- 
sical nature  of  sin,  yet  they  do  loathe  and  abhor 
themselves  on  account  of  it.  They  see  how  it 
breaks  communion  with  God,  how  contrary  it  is  to 
his  holiness,  and  how  it  .brings  down  their  hearts 
with  labor  and  sorrow.  One  of  their  great  hopes 
for  a  future  life  is  that  there  they  will  be  forever 
done  with  sin  and  temptation. 

II.  Sin  is  horribly  mischievous,  and  likely  to 
spread  far  and  to  ruin  many.  As  a  source  of  disor- 
der and  lawlessness  in  the  divine  government,  it 
may  well  fill  the  contemplative  mind  with  horror. 
It  began  its  work  of  ruin  among  the  angels.  It 
emptied  many  of  the  shining  seats  in  glory.  Le- 
gions of  those  burning  ones  were  hurled  from  the 
heights  of  bliss  to  the  depths  of  despair.  What 
devastation !  Many  mansions  in  the  house  not 
made  with  hands  were  left  desolate  to  people  the 
lake  of  fire.  This  doleful  place  was  originally  built 
as  the  prison  house  of  sinning  angels.  (Matt,  xxv: 
41.)  Their  ruin  is  and  ever  has  been  irretrievable. 
Their  sorrow  has  always  been  hopeless  sorrow. 
Their  sufferings  never  had  and  never  shall  have  any 
mitigation.  Their  guilt  for  ever  remaineth.  Their 
war  with  Jehovah  is  unceasing,  uncompromising. 
If  sin  had  never  done  any  thing  more  than  to  ruin 
rebelling  angels,  the  thought  of  it  should  fill  us  with 
horror.  But  it  has  visited  our  world  also.  It  has 
made  earth  an  Aceldama,  and  a  Golgotha — a  field 
of  blood — the  place  of  a  skull — a  loathsome  charnel 
12 


130  SIN   IS    HORRIBLE. 

house — a  universal  grave  yard.  It  has  made  this 
world,  at  whose  creation  the  morning  stars  sang 
together  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy, 
the  scene  of  the  most  provoking  and  cruel  insults 
ever  offered  to  the  Almisflitv.  On  earth,  not  in 
hell,  have  the  saints  been  martyred.  On  earth,  not 
in  hell,  was  Jesus  Christ  crucified.  On  earth,  not 
in  hell,  has  salvation  been  despised,  and  mercy 
rejected,  and  the  Spirit  grieved,  and  damnation 
derided.  The  ravages  of  sin  have  gone  on  in  every 
climate,  and  under  every  form  of  government  ;  and 
involved  in  inconceivable  and  remediless  misery 
every  child  of  Adam  not  rescued  by  the  far  reaching 
and  almighty  grace  of  God.  Generation  after  genera- 
tion has  by  sin  been  swept  into  the  grave,  and  except 
where  men  abhorred  it,  it  has  drowned  them  in  des- 
titution and  perdition.  Once  God  came  forth  arrayed 
in  terror,  and  for  their  sins  summoned  to  his  dread- 
ful bar  the  whole  human  race,  eight  souls  only 
excepted.  At  another  time,  tire  and  brimstone  fell 
upon  populous  and  wealthy  cities  in  a  vastly  fertile 
region,  and  in  their  place  this  day  stands  that  awful 
monument  of  God's  wrath,  the  Dead  Sea.  Many  a 
time  has  God  sent  forth  famine,  and  war,  and  pes- 
tilence to  waste  cities  and  nations,  that  had  forsaken 
his  law.  lie  has  armed  tribes  of  insects  and  directed 
their  march  over  the  earth  where  the  land  was  "as 
the  garden  of  Eden  before  them,  and  behind  them 
a  desolate  wilderness."  For  his  sins  man  has  been 
made  the  sport  of  the  elements.  The  sea  has  opened 
vide  her  jaws,  and  swallowed  millions  of  men  alive. 
The  tempest  has  overturned  the  stable  dwellings  of 


SIN    IS  HORRIBLE.  131 

man,  and  driven  them  like  chaff  from  the  threshing 
floor,   and  tilled  cities  and  countries  with  horrible 

desolation.  The  earth  herself  has  been  charged  with 
explosive  substances,  and  in  the  paroxysms  and 
throes  of  her  internal  agonies*  she  has  reeled  to  and 
fro  like  a  drunken  man ;  and  her  groanings  have 
been  heard  the  whole  line  of  her  longitude.  The 
heavens  above  have  grown  black,  have  looked  terri- 
bly angry,  and  shot  forth  devouring  fire.  Yet  earth 
is  not  the  scene  of  perfect  retribution.  If  such 
things  be  done  in  the  green  tree,  what  shall  be  done 
in  the  dry  ?  Here  judgment  is  mingled  with  mercy, 
yea,  mercy  triumphs  over  judgment ;  yet  a  righteous 
God  gives  these  fearful  tokens  of  his  sore  displea- 
sure. 

III.  The  hearts  and  consciences  of  men  testify 
that  sin  is  horrible.  Often  does  God  fulfill  the 
threatening  against  his  enemies:  "I  will  send  a 
faintness  into  their  hearts  ;  and  the  sound  of  a  shak- 
en leaf  shall  chase  them  ;  and  they  shall  flee,  as 
fleeing  from  a  sword  ;  and  they  shall  fall  when  none 
pursueth,  and  they  shall  have  no  power  to  stand." 
(Lev.  xxvi:  36,  37.)  Every  earthly  mind  has  some- 
times felt  a  strange  uneasiness  and  a  strong  disgust ; 
and  sometimes  conscience  has  wrung  the  heart  with 
anguish.  "  The  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth." 
They  are  often  "in  great  fear  where  no  fear  is." 
It  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  operations  of  conscience  that 
*<  the  wicked  have  no  peace,  but  are  like  the  troubled 
sea,  which  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up  mire 
and  dirt."  They  have  no  rest  by  day,  and  they  are 
scared  in  visions  of  the  night.     From  this  source 


132  SIN   IS   HORRIBLE. 

they  have  often  suffered  so  much  that  they  have 
chosen  stransdins:  rather  than  life,  and  with  suicidal 
hands  have  plunged  into  the  miseries  of  hell,  rather 
than  endure  the  torments  of  earth.  Under  the 
power  of  a  guilty  conscience,  men  have  used  such 
expressions  as  these  :  one  said,  "I  suffer  death  every 
day;"  another,  '  'I  wish  I  was  a  dog  and  had  no  soul ;" 
another,  "I  wish  I  had  never  been  born  ;"  another, 
"  0,  the  insufferable  pangs  of  hell  and  damnation  ;" 
another,  "  0  hell,  if  thou  canst  cover  me,  take  me  ;" 
another,  "I  am  the  worst  of  murderers — I  have 
murdered  time,  and  my  own  soul,  and  the  souls  of 
others."  A  volume  would  not  contain  the  expres- 
sions and  acts  of  horror  which  have  proceeded  from 
men  under  the  power  of  an  evil  conscience.  Why 
does  a  wise  and  merciful  God  permit  such  things  to 
occur  in  this  world  ?  Either  these  unhappy  men  do 
or  they  do  not  deserve  such  things.  If  they  do  not 
deserve  them,  how  is  God  wise  and  merciful,  or  even 
just  in  permitting  such  torments  to  be  endured  ?  If 
they  do  deserve  them,  if  these  things  arc  the  just 
reward  of  their  evil  deeds,  the  whole  matter  is  en- 
tirely plain.  Then  these  things  teach  us  the  malig- 
nant nature  of  sin.  It  is  a  deadly  poison.  Under 
its  wasting  power  the  spirit  of  man  dies  within  him. 
The  striped  house  snake  escapes  its  tormentors  by 
burying  her  fangs  deep  in  her  own  side,  and  with  a 
quiver  expiring.  But  the  soul  stung  by  sin  lives  on. 
It  can  neither  escape  the  tormentor  nor  resist  his 
scourgings.  In  the  hands  of  a  guilty  conscience,  the 
stoutest  spirit  of  man  is  like  a  lamb  in  the  jaws  of  the 
bear.  It  is  an  evil  and  bitter  thin  2;  to  sin  against  God. 


SIN    IS     HORRIBLE.  133 

IV.  Some  centuries  ago,  on  a  bright  clay,  in  the 
territory  of  the  most  renowned  ancient  common- 
wealth, a  man  was  publicly  executed  by  the  order  of  a 
pusillanimous  judge,  who  had  repeatedly  declared 
his  prisoner  innocent  of  all  crime.  His  sufferings 
had  been  foretold  by  ancient  seers.  Their  con- 
current testimony  was  that  though  he  should  be  of 
blameless  innocence,  yet  both  in  life  and  death  his 
sorrows  should  be  unparalleled.  Having  endured 
woes  unequalled,  his  sacred  lips  swollen  with  grief, 
his  life  "  was  poured  out  like  water.  All  his  bones 
were  out  of  joint,  his  heart  was  melted  like  wax, 
his  strength  was  dried  up  like  a  potsherd  ;  and  his 
tongue  cleaved  to  his  jaws."  Then  crying  with  a 
loud  voice,  "My  God,  my  God  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?"  He  suffered  a  while  longer  and  again 
"  cried  with  a  loud  voice  and  gave  up  the  ghost ;" 
"and  behold  the  vail  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the  earth  did  quake, 
and  the  rocks  rent."  A  learned  Greek  happening 
in  Egypt  that  day,  when  he  beheld  the  sore  amaze- 
ment of  the  heavens,  is  reported  to  have  said, 
"Either  nature  is  dissolving  or  a  God  is  expiring." 
Why  was  this  consternation  throughout  the  realms 
of  the  visible  world  ?  The  answer  is,  Nature's 
Author  was  making  expiation  for  sin  ;  the  Son  of 
God,  on  whom  were  laid  the  iniquities  of  us  all,  was 
treading  the  wine-press  of  his  Father's  wrath  alone. 
Ah  !  this  reveals  the  cause  of  that  sympathy,  which 
nature  manifested  in  his  sufferings,  and  of  that  un- 
equalled sorrowfulness  of  soul  which  himself  said 
was  unto  death.     If  even  the  incarnate  Son  of  God 


134  SIN    IS    HORRIBLE. 

must  bear  the  bitterness  and  sting  of  death,  which 
is  sin  ;  if  even  he  must  take  our  law-place,  and  suf- 
fer the  just  for  the  unjust,  in  his  agonies  at  that 
dreadful  hour,  the  universe  shall  see  that  sin  is  a 
horrible  thing.  In  the  cross  of  Christ,  heaven  and 
earth  shall  read  the  lesson  that  sin  is  no  trifle,  no 
common  evil ;  that  it  has  a  deeper  malignity,  a 
wider  sweep,  a  more  terrific  power  to  blast  and 
crush  and  consume  than  any,  yea,  than  all  other 
evils. 

I  Y.  God's  word  reveals  a  terrible  destruction  to 
come  on  the  soul  on  which  sin  is  found  at  last. 
Though  God's  mercy  exceeds  all  names  of  kindness, 
yet  he  is  as  just  as  he  is  loving  ;  and  "  the  soul  that 
sinneth  it  shall  die."  Yes,  "0  wicked  man,  thou 
shalt  surely  die."  Dying  in  thy  sins,  thou  shalt  not 
escape  an  overthrow,  the  thought  of  which  might 
well  overwhelm  any  finite  mind.  The  following  are 
but  samples  of  the  manner  in  which  God  teaches 
how  he  will  punish  impenitent  men  for  their  horrible 
offences  :  "  Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to  the  line,  and 
righteousness  to  the  plummet :  and  the  hail  shall 
sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall 
overflow  the  hiding  place.  And  your  covenant  with 
death  shall  be  disannulled,  and  your  agreement  with 
hell  shall  not  stand  ;  when  the  overflowing  scourge 
shall  pass  through."  (Isa.  28  :  17,  18.)  "I  will  slay 
the  last  of  them  with  the  sword :  he  that  fleeth  of  them 
shall  not  flee  away,  and  he  that  escapeth  of  them 
shall  not  be  delivered.  Though  they  hide  themselves 
in  the  top  of  Carmel,  I  will  search  and  take  them 
out  thence.     Though  they  dig  into  hell,  thence  shall 


SIN    IS    HORRIBLE.  135 

my  hand  take  them  ;  though  they  climb  up  to  hea- 
ven, thence  will  I  bring  them  down."  (Arnos  ix  : 
1-3.)  The  carnal  security  and  presumptuous  quiet 
of  wicked  men  add  not  to  their  safety,  nor  avert 
impending  judgments ;  for  "  when  they  shall  say, 
Peace  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  cometh 
upon  them,  and  they  shall  not  escape."  (1  Thes. 
v:  3.)  What  an  evil  sin  must  be  that  the  wisest 
and  best  and  most  loving  being  in  the  universe 
should  be  thus  awfully  determined  to  punish  it 
wherever  found,  and  permit  no  unpardoned  trans- 
gressor to  escape  the  almighty  grasp  of  eternal  jus- 
tice. If  God,  who  cannot  err,  has  thus  judged,  that 
sin  must  be  openly,  terribly  and  eternally  dealt  with 
according  to  law,  then  none  but  those  who  are  pro- 
fane can  think  and  feel  and  act  as  if  it  were  a 
light  thing  to  sin  against  God.  In  the  terrible  lan- 
guage of  the  Bible  :  "  Fools  make  a  mock  at  sin." 
Men  must  be  bereft  of  all  sobriety  and  sagacity, 
before  they  can  sport  themselves  with  that  which  is 
so  offensive  to  the  Most  High. 

VI.  Nor  is  all  this  wonderful,  if  we  look  at  the 
nature  of  sin  itself.  It  is  wholly  contrary  to  the 
only  perfect  law  ever  given  for  the  direction  of  men, 
(1  John  iii :  4  ;)  it  is  shocking  contempt  of  the  God 
of  heaven,  (Ps.  x:  13  ;)  it  is  rebellion  of  the  worst 
form,  (Isa.  i :  2  ;)  it  is  despite  to  the  riches  of  his 
goodness,  (Rom.  ii :  4  ;)  it  is  robbery  of  the  Most 
High,  (Mai.  iii :  8  ;)  it  is  a  wicked  assertion  of  the 
right  of  property  in  ourselves,  (Ps.  xii :  4  ;)  it  is  a 
denial  of  the  divine  sovereignty,  (Ex.  v  :  2  ;)  it  is  a 
making  light  of   the  fearful  threatenings  of    God, 


136  SIN    IS    HORRIBLE. 

(Mai  i :  6  ;)  it  docs  all  it  can  to  impeach  the  divine 
veracity,  (1  John  i :  10  ;)  it  is  a  proud  scorning  of 
all  the  lessons  taught  us  "by  our  sore  afflictions, 
(Jer.  v  :  8  ;)  it  is  the  most  terrible  obstinacy,  (Isa. 
xlviii  :  4  ;)  it  is  making  war  on  the  Almighty,  (Acts 
v :  39  ;)  it  is  serving  and  obeying  the  wicked  one, 
the  great  enemy  of  God  and  man,  (Eph.  ii  :  2;)  it 
is  in  defiance  of  our  own  reason,  judgment,  under- 
standing, conscience  and  convictions,  (Prov.  viii : 
36  ;)  against  many  solemn  purposes  and  engagements 
to  the  contrary,  (Eccles.  v:  4,  5.)  It  assaults  every 
attribute  of  God.  It  tramples  under  foot  every 
principle  of  moral  obligation.  It  puts  time  before 
eternity,  the  body  before  the  soul,  fleeting  vanities 
before  unendino;  realities.  "All  sin  is  founded  in 
a  secret  atheism,"  says  Charnock.  "Atheism  is 
the  spirit  of  every  sin  ;  all  the  floods  of  impieties  in 
the  world  break  in  at  the  gate  of  a  secret  atheism ; 
and  though  several  sins  may  disagree  with  one  an- 
other, yet  like  Herod  and  Pilate  against  Christ,  they 
join  hand  in  hand  against  the  interest  of  God. 
Though  lusts  and  pleasures  be  divers,  yet  they  are 
all  united  in  disobedience  to  him.  All  the  wicked 
inclinations  in  the  heart,  and  struggling  motions, 
secret  repinings,  self-applauding  confidence  in  our 
own  wisdom,  strength,  &c,  envy,  ambition,  revenge 
arc  sparks  from  this  latent  fire ;  the  language  of 
every  one  of  these  is,  I  would  be  a  lord  to  myself, 
and  would  not  have  a  God  superior  to  me."  Scrip- 
ture calls  sin  a  turning  of  the  back  upon  God, 
(Jer.  xxxii :  33  ;)  a  kicking  against  God,  (Dent. 
xxxii:  15  ;)  a  cursing  of  God  in  the  heart,  (Job  i: 


SIN    IS    HORRIBLE.  137 

5.)  If  for  anything  we  ought  to  weep,  and  lament, 
and  cover  ourselves  with  sackcloth  and  ashes,  it  is 
for  sin  against  God.  It  brings  on  the  sinner  him- 
self guilt,  shame,  confusion,  condemnation.  It 
defiles  every  power  and  faculty  of  the  soul  and 
makes  it  a  vessel  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction. 

REMARKS. 

1.  If  christians  sorrow,  it  is  not  without  a  cause. 
In  themselves  they  see  the  workings  of  original  sin 
and  of  a  remaining  depravity.  There  is  a  war — a 
fearful  war — in  their  members.  The  flesh  lust- 
eth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the 
flesh.  In  the  midst  of  this  fearful  conflict,  the 
greatest  apostle  cried  out,  "  0  wretched  man  that 
I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  ?"  Then  too  the  righteous  behold  the  wick- 
edness that  is  in  the  world.  They  sigh  and  cry  for 
all  the  abominations  done  in  the  land. 

2.  Beware  of  that  temptation  of  the  wicked  one 
— confusion  of  mind.  If  Satan  can  once  persuade 
us  that  bitter  is  sweet  and  sweet  bitter,  that  there  is 
no  difference  between  sin  and  hohness,  duty  and 
transgression  ;  or  at  least  that  we  are  not  morally 
bound  to  distinguish  between  them,  he  will  have 
gained  a  fearful  advantage  over  us.  Heaven  and 
hell  are  not  wider  apart  than  sin  and  holiness. 

3.  Guard  with  great  care  against  the  occasions  of 
sinning.  Your  strength  is  in  your  weakness.  Cry 
mightily,  "Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  If  a 
pursuit,   a  companion,  a  train  of  thought  inclines 


138  SIN    IS    HORRIBLE. 

you  to  evil,  avoid  them.     The  beginning  of  sin  is  as 
when  one  letteth  out  water. 

4.  How  kind  is  the  offer  of  pardon  and  reconcili- 
ation, made  by  God  to  us,  so  great  sinners.  Alas, 
some  never  know  how  kind  the  gospel  call  is,  until 
it  is  too  late.  Jerusalem  was  in  that  sad  case. 
(Luke  xix  :  42.)  In  two  ways  we  may  learn  the  value 
of  a  kind  proposal.  One  is,  by  embracing  it,  and 
securing,  all  the  benefits  it  offers.  Here  is  the  wisdom 
of  the  just.  The  other  method  of  learning  the  value 
of  a  good  offer  is  by  rejecting  it,  and  afterwards  en- 
during the  evil  consequences  of  such  folly.  If  any  one 
who  reads  this  book  shall  die  in  his  sins,  he  may  at  the 
last  day  look  up  and  see  the  amazing  blessings  of  the 
righteous,  and  say :  "One  of  those  robes,  and  harps, 
and  crowns  might  have  been  mine,  had  I  not  despised 
offered  mercy."  0  how  will  the  impenitent  mourn 
at  the  last,  when  their  flesh  and  their  body  are  con- 
sumed and  each  of  them  says,  "How  have  I  hated 
instruction,  and  my  heart  despised  reproof:  and 
have  not  obeyed  the  voice  of  my  teachers,  nor  in- 
clined mine  ear  to  them  that  instructed  me  !"  Prov. 
v:  11-13.)  Such  may  seethe  Saviour  shining  as 
the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength,  and  say  :  That  Re- 
deemer, all  glorious  in  his  apparel,  all  wondrous  in 
his  mercy,  all  condescending  in  his  kindness,  might 
have  been  mine,  but  I  refused  him.  Oh  that  I  had 
sought  his  favor  when  I  heard  his  gospel  preached, 
and  when  I  felt  his  Spirit  move.  Oh  that  I  had 
opened  the  door  and  let  him  in  when  I  heard  his 
gentle  knocks,  his  words  of  grace  and  truth.  Fel- 
low-traveller to  the  bar  of  God,  will  you  never  learn 


SIN    IS   HORRIBLE.  139 

how  great  are  the  kindness  and  mercy  of  the  Redeem- 
er in  offering  salvation,  until  the  master  has  risen 
up  and  shut-to  the  door?  Count  the  long-suffering 
of  God  salvation.  Accept  the  gift  of  God  which  is 
eternal  life.  The  interests  of  your  immortal,  yet 
sinful  soul  are  at  stake.  You  may  now  indeed  be 
living  in  pleasure  and  quaffing  "  the  full  bowl  of 
sparkling  joys  ;"  but  remember  you  must  yield  the 
cup  of  sinful  pleasure,  or  you  cannot  drink  the  cup 
of  salvation.  Hold  fast  the  former  a  little  longer, 
and  you  will  find  in  it  wormwood  and  gall,  the  wine 
of  astonishment,  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of 
his  indignation. 

Or  you  may  now  be  in  full  possession  of  the  honor 
that  cometh  from  man,  and  not  care  for  the  honor 
that  cometh  from  God  only.  But  ere  long,  you 
would  give  the  world,  if  you  had  it,  for  the  least 
token  of  favorable  regard  from  the  Most  High. 

11  Saviour  of  souls,  could  I  from  thee 
A  single  smile  obtain, 
Though  destitute  of  all  things  else, 
I'd  glory  in  my  gain." 

Or  now  you  may  be  satisfied  with  wealth.  You 
may  think  you  have  goods  laid  up,  or  that  you 
soon  will  have  goods  laid  up  for  many  years, 
when  you  may  eat  and  drink  and  take  your  ease. 
But  soon  God  will  say,  This  night  shall  thy  soul  be 
required  of  thee.  Are  you  prepared  to  meet  that 
long  dreaded  requisition  ?  0  !  if  you  were  but  as 
willing  to  accept  as  heaven  is  to  grant  mercy,  you 
would  not  change  your  present  posture  without 
making  peace  with  God. 
13 


140         THE    SAINT   EXCELS     THE    SINNER. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE   SAINT   EXCELS    THE   SINNER. 

Moral  worth,  and  the  blessings  inseparably  con- 
nected therewith  constitute  the  only  excellence  de- 
serving the  eager  pursuit  of  mortals.  True  its 
record,  its  treasures  and  its  glories  are  on  high.  The 
people  of  God  are  not  in  this  life  distinguished  from 
others  by  marks  visible  to  the  eye  of  sense  or  reason. 
The  angel  with  his  inkhorn  (Ezek.  ix :  2-7)  is  an 
invisible  messenger,  and  makes  no  mark  that  can  be 
read  with  carnal  eyes.  And  yet  the  saint  is  better 
and  is  better  off  than  the  sinner.     But  note, 

1.  It  is  not  asserted  that  in  the  judgment  of  the 
ungodly  the  righteous  is  the  better  man.  Whatever 
misgivings  he  may  have  he  is  commonly  self-satisfied. 
"  There  is  a  generation,  which  is  pure  in  their  own 
eyes,  yet  is  not  washed  from  their  nlthiness."  (Prov. 
30  :  12.)  The  Pharisee  had  no  doubt  that  he  was 
a  far  better  man  and  had  far  brighter  prospects  before 
him  than  the  publican  had  before  him. 

2.  Neither  is  there  anything  in  piety  to  make  the 
righteous  man  self-conceited.  It  is  the  vile  hypo- 
crite who  says  to  each  man  around  him  :  ' 'Stand  by 
thys<  If;  F  am  holier  than  thou."  Paul  pronounced 
himself  the  chief  of  sinners.  True  piety  makes  its 
Subjects  lowly.     With  all  his  haughtiness  the  Pha- 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE    SINNER.  141 

risee  had  not  so  poor  an  opinion  of  the  publican  as 
the  publican  had  of  himself. 

3.  The  superior  excellence  of  a  righteous  man 
over  his  neighbour  is  not  constitutional  nor  the  re- 
sult of  education.  In  such  matters  the  ungodly 
often  possess  great  advantages.  Often  they  are 
more  amiable  and  have  received  better  educations 
than  their  pious  neighbours.  The  difference,  of 
which  we  speak,  is  wholly  gracious  and  springs 
from  the  sovereign  and  distinguishing  love  of  God. 

4.  Therefore  in  this  doctrine  there  is  nothing 
designed  to  awaken  feelings  of  enmity  in  the  mind 
of  the  wicked  towards  his  pious  neighbour.  If  sin- 
ners have  bad  feelings  towards  saints,  they  must 
spring  from  envy.  The  Apostle  tells  the  whole 
story:  "The  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth  to 
envy."     (James  iv:  5.) 

5.  One  of  the  best  modes  of  ascertaining  differ- 
ences is  to  contrast  decided  cases.  There  is  a  region 
of  twilight  in  character  where  we  see  but  dimly, 
and  where  some  men,  not  very  bad,  do  not  appear 
very  different  from  other  men,  not  very  good.  But 
when  very  bad  men  and  very  good  men  are  fairly 
contrasted,  all  men  see  the  difference. 

With  these  explanations  let  us  proceed  to  show 
how  the  saint  excels  the  sinner. 

I.  The  righteous  has  a  much  better  rule  of  con- 
duct than  the  sinner.  To  the  former  God's  word  is 
law,  a  rule  and  an  end  of  controversy.  Over  the 
latter,  convenience,  expediency  or  downright  infi- 
delity has  prevailing  power.     Rousseau,  who  spent 


142  THE     SAINT    EXCELS    THE    SINNER. 

mucli  time  among  the  torrents,  glaciers,  lakes  and 
mountains  of  Switzerland,  writes  thus  :  ' '  I  visit  no 
chapel,  I  see  no  priest,  I  hear  no  homily  ;  nor  need 
I ;  for  neither  priest,  nor  chapel,  nor  homily,  nor 
the  whole  world,  nor  the  whole  universe  could  teach 
me  so  much  of  God  as  I  learn  in  my  walks  every 
day."  Since  the  days  of  Rousseau,  lived  Frederic 
"William  III.,  than  whom  perhaps  few  men  saw 
greater  trials.  In  a  solemn  review  of  his  life  and 
sufferings,  he  devoutly  said:  "Had  not  thy  holy 
wTord  comforted  me  in  my  misery,  I  should  have 
passed  away.  A  revelation  having  nothing  to  reveal 
beyond  the  scope  of  man's  knowledge  and  science, 
would  cease  to  be  a  divine  revelation.  Its  mysteries 
are  to  me  witnesses  of  its  divinity,  and  I  should 
cease  to  believe  its  revelations,  were  the  mysteries 
not  there.  .  .  The  sermon  on  the  Mount — what 
a  treasure  !  why  it  contains  more  wisdom  in  a  few 
pages  than  all  the  folio  volumes  of  ancient  and 
modern  theologians."  When  men  reject  the  only 
infallible  guide,  their  whole  course  through  life  is 
certain  to  be  erratic.  Glaciers  and  avalanches  do 
indeed  teach  lessons  ;  but  they  teach  them  more 
thoroughly  to  him  who  hears  the  voice  of  God  in 
his  word,  than  to  any  one  who  slights  the  lessons  of 
inspiration. 

In  their  science  men  may  ascend  even  to  the  stars, 
but  there  the  good  man  leaves  his  neighbour  and 
travels  on  to  the  Eternal  Throne  of  him  who  made 
the  earth,  and  by  his  Spirit  garnished  the  heavens. 

II.  In  his  thoughts  the  righteous  excels  his  neigh- 
bour.    When  he  thinks  of  time  and  eternity,  sick- 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER.  143 

ness  and  health,  poverty  and  riches,  honor  and  dis- 
honor, pleasure  and  misery,  truth  and  duty,  himself 
and  God,  heaven,  earth  and  hell,  his  thoughts  are 
quite  unlike  his  neighbour's  in  several  respects. 
First,  the  righteous  is  concerned  about  these  things 
in  a  good  degree  according  to  their  real  worth  ; 
while  the  man  of  the  world  estimates  them  more 
according  to  their  nominal  value.  The  thoughts  of 
the  righteous  more  nearly  coincide  with  the  judg- 
ment of  God  on  these  matters  than  do  the  thoughts 
of  his  neighbour.  Secondly,  men  of  the  world 
usually  estimate  things  in  proportion  to  their  near- 
ness, leaving  very  remote  things  wholly  unprovided 
for.  Just  the  opposite  of  this  is  true  of  the  pious. 
They  sometimes  hardly  notice  present  evils  for  the 
sake  of  the  good  which  is  far  future,  and  never  seen 
but  by  the  eye  of  faith.  The  ungodly  man  says  of 
time,  It  is  my  enemy,  which  I  am  always  trying  to 
kill  but  never  can.  Of  time,  the  righteous  says, 
It  is  a  golden  talent,  which  rightly  improved  secures 
a  title  to  reign  over  a  city.  Ask  a  pious  man  where 
pleasure  is,  and  his  thoughts  instantly  recur  to  the 
closet,  the  sanctuary,  or  the  furnace  of  affliction, 
where  he  has  often  met  God.  Ask  the  sinner  where 
pleasure  is,  and  he  points  you  to  the  theatre,  the 
ball-room,  the  card  party,  the  courtly  levee,  a  coun- 
try life,  a  residence  in  some  distant  city.  Propose 
preferment  to  a  sinner,  and  for  it  he  will  give  up 
prejudice,  partisanship  and  even  honor.  Propose 
the  same  to  a  child  of  God  and  with  Fletcher  of 
Madeley,  he  says:  "All  I  want  is  more  grace." 
Ask  the  sinner  what  is  morally  grand,  and  he  will 
13* 


144         THE    SAINT    EXCELS     THE    SINNER. 

point  you  to  some  convocation  of  potentates  or  to 
some  hard-fought  battle  field.  Ask  the  saint  the 
same  question,  and  he  tells  you,  there  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repcnteth.  Thirdly,  the  righteous  excels  his  neigh- 
bour in  the  motives  which  govern  him.  In  the  sin- 
ner, selfishness  is  the  law.  In  the  righteous,  self- 
denial  is  the  law.  One  is  the  centre  of  all  his  own 
plans.  All  the  lines  of  his  conduct  meet  in  him- 
self. To  the  other  God  is  the  centre  of  every  thing. 
A  regard  to  his  glory  is  supreme.  One  asks,  Will 
it  please  men  for  me  to  obey  God  ?  the  other  asks, 
Will  it  please  God  for  me  to  obey  men  ?  The  love 
of  Christ  bears  on  the  saint.  Aversion  to  Christ 
constrains  the  other. 

III.  In  his  speech  the  righteous  excels  his  neigh- 
bour. He  is  free  from  the  stain  and  guilt  of  that 
enormous  load  of  profane  and  irreverent  speaking, 
which  so  much  prevails  with  the  ungodly.  Besides, 
much  that  is  said  by  the  wicked  consists  of  vain  and 
idle  words,  of  foolish  talking  and  jesting.  So  far 
as  a  man  is  a  good  man,  he  follows  not  this  evil 
example.  Moreover  the  righteous  loves  serious  con- 
versation. He  is  not  repelled  by  the  solemnities  of 
eternity.  The  judgment  and  its  stupendous  scenes 
linger  about  his  mind  always  ;  nor  are  they  unwel- 
come themes.  The  ungodly  are  not  so.  No  carnal 
heart  loves  just  thoughts  on  everlasting  things. 

IV.  In  his  principles  the  righteous  excels  his 
neighbour.  "The  wicked  borroweth,  and  payeth  not 
again  :  but  the  righteous  showeth  mercy  and  giveth." 
(Ps  .xxxvii :  21.)     Compare  2  Kings  vi :  5,     If  car- 


THE    SAINT   EXCELS    THE     SINNER.  145 

nal  men  have  not  a  price  upon  their  integrity,  it  is 
because  they  have  made  their  reputation  their  idol. 
It  is  certain  that  if  a  man  does  not  fear  God,  no 
sound  thinker  is  surprised  at  discovering  that  he 
does  not  regard  man.  There  is  a  foul  blot  on  the 
honesty  of  all  ungodly  men  because  they  withhold 
from  the  Almighty  the  tribute  of  praise  and  service 
due  to  his  name.  The  wicked  defraud  Jehovah  ; 
they  rob  God.  When  a  man  will  cheat  his  own 
father,  it  is  not  surprising  he  should  practice  extor- 
tion on  a  stranger. 

V.  The  righteous  excels  his  neighbour  in  his  tem- 
per towards  men.  To  a  rude  swaggering  youth,  J. 
A.  Haldane  said  :  "  There  was  a  time,  sir,  when  I 
should  have  resented  this  impertinence  ;  but  I  have 
since  learned  to  forgive  injuries  and  to  overlook 
insults."  Flesh  and  blood  teach  no  such  lesson  as 
this.  Cicero,  the  best  of  the  heathen  philosophers, 
says  :  i  '  A  man  ought  to  feel  kindly  towards  all  ex- 
cept his  enemies."  But  the  child  of  God  honestly 
practises  on  the  precept:  "Overcome  evil  with 
good;"  and  like  dying  Stephen  cries:  "Lord,  lay 
not  this  sin  to  their  charge." 

VI.  The  righteous  excels  his  neighbour  in  his 
conduct  under  the  outward  displeasure  of  God.  One 
cries,  Why  am  I  made  to  suffer  ?  the  other  says  of 
all  his  afflictions,  They  are  light.  To  the  sinner  the 
day  of  adversity  has  nothing  but  darkness ;  to  the  up- 
right light  ariseth  in  the  darkness.  The  tears  of  the 
one  scald  ;  the  tears  of  the  other  are  blessed.  For 
fratricide,  Cain  was  expelled  from  the  visible  church 
of  God.     Well  might  he  have  been  sentenced  to  a 


145  THE    SAINT    EXCELS     THE    SINNER. 

terrible  death.  But  instead  of  submission,  instead 
of  regarding  his  sentence  as  light,  in  the  spirit  of 
rebellion  he  exclaims,  "  My  punishment  is  greater 
than  I  can  bear."  (Gen.  iv  :  13.)  On  the  other 
hand  the  righteous  have  learned  to  be  patient  in 
tribulation.  Jeremiah  was  of  an  exceedingly  gen- 
tle spirit.  His  uprightness  is  unquestioned.  He 
greatly  loved  his  people  and  Jehovah.  Yet  sorrow 
rolled  in  upon  him  like  a  tide,  so  that  he  cried  out 
to  all  that  passed  by  :  "  Behold,  and  see  if  there  be 
any  sorrow  like  unto  my  sorrow,  which  is  done  unto 
me,  wherewith  the  Lord  hath  afflicted  me  in  the  day  of 
of  his  fierce  anger.  I  am  the  man  that  hath  seen  af- 
fliction by  the  rod  of  his  wrath."  (Lam.  i :  12 ;  iii :  1.) 
Yet  not  a  murmur  escapes  his  lips.  But  he  penitently 
and  piously  says :  ' '  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we 
are  not  consumed,  because  his  compassions  fail  not. 
They  are  new  every  morning :  great  i  s  thy  faithfulness. 
The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul ;  therefore 
will  I  hope  in  him.  It  is  good  that  a  man  should 
both  hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  bear  the  yoke 
in  his  youth.  The  Lord  doth  not  afflict  willingly 
nor  grieve  the  children  of  men.  Wherefore  doth  a 
living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of 
his  sins  ?  Let  us  search  and  try  our  ways  and  turn 
again  to  the  Lord."     (Lam.  iii,  in  many  places.) 

VH.  In  his  treatment  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  right- 
eous excels  his  neighbour.  All  God's  people  are 
united  in  judgment  concerning  the  Saviour.  They 
all  say,  He  is  the  chief  est  among  ten  thousands  and 
altogether  lovely,  the  first  and  the  last,  all  in  all  to 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER.  147 

their  souls.  On  the  contrary  the  wicked  esteem  him 
as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground,  without  form  or  come- 
liness, and  when  they  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that 
they  should  desire  him.  On  a  fair  trial  the  righteous 
would  die  for  him  ;  but  the  wicked  would  rather 
die  than  be  saved  by  him.  Thus  he  is  set  for  the 
rise  and  fall  of  many  in  Israel.  To  some  he  is  a 
stone  of  stumbling,  a  rock  of  offence,  a  gin  and  a 
snare.  But  to  the  righteous  he  is  the  Author  of 
eternal  redemption,  and  they  glory  in  his  cross. 

VIII.  The  righteous  has  greatly  the  advantage 
over  his  neighbour  in  point  of  conscience.  The 
conscience  of  the  righteous  is  purged  from  dead 
works  and  from  guilt  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  ;  and 
the  whole  church  of  God  unites  in  saying:  "Our 
rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience, 
that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity  not  with  fleshly 
wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  our  con- 
versation in  the  world."  (2  Cor.  i:  12.)  But  it 
is  far  different  with  men  of  the  world.  Every  unsanc- 
tified  heart  is  a  volcano  whose  eruptions  may  at  any 
moment  pour  forth  torrents  of  burning  lava.  Con- 
science is  seldom  so  stupid  as  not  to  awake  at  the 
approach  of  divine  judgments;  and  "conscience 
never  sleeps  so  soundly  as  not  to  awake  at  the  ap- 
proach of  death."  This  is  the  reason  why  the  wicked 
are  like  the  troubled  sea  which  cannot  rest,  whose 
waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt. 

IX.  In  the  solid  comfort  with  which  he  passes 
through  life,  the  righteous  greatly  excels  his  neigh- 
bour. Yonder  is  Hainan,  the  son  of  Hammedatha 
the  Agagite.     He  is  next  to  his  monarch,  the  Artax- 


148         THE    SAINT   EXCELS    THE     SINNER. 

erxes  Longiraanus  of  profane  history.  The  mighty 
bowed  before  him;  the  many  reverenced  him.  Whom 
he  would,  he  exalted,  and  whom  he  would  he  degraded. 
But  there  was  one  old  bondman,  venerable  for  age, 
piety  and  public  services,  who  would  not  cringe  and 
truckle  before  the  bloody  tyrant.  This  so  mightily 
stirred  up  the  wrath  of  the  prime  minister  that  he 
said  of  all  his  greatness,  "It  availeth  me  nothing, 
so  long  as  I  see  Mordecai  the  Jew  sitting  at  the 
lung's  gate."  He  maliciously  determined  not  only 
to  destroy  the  old  man,  but  to  wreak  his  vengeance 
on  his  entire  nation.  Yet  in  the  providence  of  God 
he  was  soon  required  by  his  monarch  to  array  his 
enemy  in  royal  attire,  mount  him  on  the  king's 
horse  and  lead  him  through  the  city,  proclaim- 
ing, Thus  shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the 
king  delighteth  to  honor.  "Then  said  his  wise 
men  and  Zeresh  his  wife  unto  him,  If  Mordecai  be 
of  the  seed  of  the  Jews,  before  whom  thou  hast 
begun  to  fall,  thou  shalt  not  prevail  against  him, 
but  shalt  surely  fall  before  him  ;"  and  so  it  came  to 
pass.  Envy  and  perturbation  were  followed  by  a 
gallows  fifty  cubits  high.  Turn  now  to  Paul  the 
Apostle.  He  was  in  labours  more  abundant  than 
even  other  eminent  servants  of  Christ,  in  stripes 
above  measure,  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths 
oft  Of  the  Jews  five  times  received  he  forty  stripes 
save  one.  Thrice  w7as  he  beaten  with  rods,  once 
was  he  stoned,  thrice  did  he  suffer  shipwreck,  a 
night  and  a  day  was  he  in  the  deep ;  in  journeymgs 
often,  in  perils  of  wraters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in 
perils  by  his  own  countrymen,  in  perils  by  the  hea- 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE    SINNER.  149 

then,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in 
perils  among  false  brethren ;  in  weariness  and  pain- 
fulness,  in  watchinga  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in 
fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness,  (2  Cor.  xii : 
23-27.)  Yet  how  did  he  regard  such  trials  ?  Him- 
self shall  answer:  "None  of  these  things  move 
me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself  so  that 
I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  minis- 
try which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God."  (Acts 
xx :  24.) 

Let  us  further  contrast  the  feelings  of  the  prince 
of  modern  infidelity  and  of  an  experienced  saint  of 
God.  Voltaire  says:  "Who  can,  without  horror, 
consider  the  whole  world  as  an  empire  of  destruc- 
tion ?  It  abounds  with  wonders  ;  it  abounds  also 
with  victims.  It  is  as  a  vast  field  of  carnage  and 
contagion.  Every  species  is  without  pity  pursued 
and  torn  to  pieces  through  the  air  and  earth  and 
water.  In  man  there  is  more  wretchedness  than  in 
all  the  other  animals  put  together.  Ho  loves  life 
and  yet  he  knows  he  must  die.  If  he  enjoys  a 
transient  good  he  suffers  various  evils,  and  is  at  last 
devoured  by  worms.  This  knowledge  is  his  fatal 
prerogative.  Other  animals  have  it  not.  He  spends 
the  transient  moments  of  his  existence  in  diffusing 
the  miseries  which  he  suffers  ;  in  cutting  the  throats 
of  his  fellow-creatures  for  pay ;  in  cheating  and  be- 
ing cheated ;  robbing  and  being  robbed  ;  in  serving 
that  he  might  command  ;  and  in  repenting  of  all 
he  does.  The  bulk  of  mankind  are  nothing  more 
than  a  crowd  of  wretches,  equally  criminal  and  un- 


150  THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER. 

fortunate ;  and  the  globe  contains  rather  carcasses 
than  men.  I  tremble  at  the  review  of  this  dreadful 
picture,  and  find  it  contains  a  complaint  against 
Providence  itself,  I  wish  I  had  never  been  born." 
This  is  the  testimony  of  one  whom  nations  flattered 
and  kings  courted.  Turn  we  now  to  Halyburton, 
who  died  as  he  lived.  Near  the  end  of  life  he  said : 
"I  shall  shortly  get  a  very  different  sight  of  God 
from  what  I  have  ever  had,  and  shall  be  made  meet 
to  praise  him  for  ever  and  ever.  0,  the  thoughts  of 
an  incarnate  Deity  are  sweet  and  ravishing.  0  how 
I  wonder  at  myself  that  I  do  not  love  him  more, 
and  that  I  do  not  adore  him  more.  What  a  wonder 
that  I  enjoy  such  composure  under  all  my  bodily 
pains  and  in  the  view  of  death  itself.  What  mercy 
that  having  the  use  of  my  reason  I  can  declare  his 
goodness  to  my  soul.  I  long  for  his  salvation — I 
bless  his  name  that  I  have  found  him,  and  I  die 
rejoicing  in  him.  0  blessed  be  God  that  I  was  born. 
Oh  that  I  was  where  he  is.  I  have  a  father  and 
mother  and  ten  brothers  and  sisters  in  heaven,  and 
I  shall  be  the  eleventh.  0  there  is  a  telling  in  this 
providence,  and  I  shall  be  telling  it  forever.  If 
there  be  such  a  glory  in  his  conduct  towards  me 
now,  what  will  it  be  to  see  the  Lamb  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne.  Blessed  be  God  that  I  was  born." 
Surely  Voltaire  and  Ilalyburton  were  very  different 
men. 

X.  Standing  on  the  verge  of  life,  even  in  good 
health,  how  different  are  the  feelings  of  a  man  of 
the  world  and  of  a  man  of  God.  For  example 
take  Gibbon  the  historian,  and  Paul  the  apustle. 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER.  151 

Both  of  these  men  were  accomplished  scholars; 
both  had  great  energy  of  character ;  both  had  given 
to  the  world  writings  which  they  expected  to  be  read 
with  interest  to  the  end  of  time ;  both  had  filled  a 
large  space  in  the  public  eye  for  a  long  period ;  and 
both  lived  to  as  great  an  age  as  commonly  consists 
with  an  unimpaired  intellect.  Just  before  leaving 
the  world,  they  tell  us  their  thoughts.  The  closing 
paragraph  of  Mr.  Gibbon's  autobiography  reads 
thus  :  "  The  present  is  a  fleeting  moment,  the  past 
is  no  more ;  and  our  prospect  of  futurity  is  dark 
and  doubtful.  This  day  may  possibly  be  my  last ; 
but  the  laws  of  probability,  so  true  in  general,  so 
fallacious  in  particular,  still  allow  about  fifteen  years. 
I  shall  soon  enter  into  that  period,  which  as  the 
most  agreeable  of  his  long  life,  was  selected  by  the 
judgment  and  experience  of  the  sage  Fontenelle. 
His  choice  was  approved  by  the  eloquent  historian  of 
nature  [Button]  who  fixes  our  moral  happiness  to  the 
mature  season  in  which  our  passions  are  supposed 
to  be  calmed,  our  duties  fulfilled,  our  ambition  sat- 
isfied, our  fame  and  fortune  established  on  a  solid 
basis.  In  private  conversation  that  great  and  ami- 
able man  added  the  weight  of  his  experience  ;  and 
this  autumnal  felicity  might  be  exemplified  in  the 
lives  of  Voltaire,  Hume  and  many  other  men  of  let- 
ters. I  am  far  more  inclined  to  embrace  than  to 
dispute  this  comfortable  doctrine.  I  will  not  suppose 
any  premature  decay  of  the  mind  and  body  ;  but  I 
must  reluctantly  observe  that  two  causes,  the  abbre- 
viation of  time,  the  failure  of  hope,  will  always 
tinge  with  a  browner  shade  the  evening  of  life." 
14 


152  THE    SAINT   EXCELS    THE    SINNER. 

Autumnal  happiness  exemplified  in  Voltaire  !  Why 
the  poor  creature  cried  out,  I  ivish  I  had  never  been 
born.  As  to  the  fifteen  years,  they  never  came,  nor 
fifteen  months  either,  nor  even  the  half  of  that  time. 
Listen  now  to  the  language  of  Paul  the  aged:  "I 
am  now  ready  to  he  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  de- 
parture is  at  hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I 
have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith  : 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness, which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge  shall 
give  me  at  that  day  :  and  not  to  me  only,  hut  unto 
all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing."  (2  Tim. 
iv:  6-8.) 

XL  The  righteous  hath  the  preeminence  over  his 
neighbour  on  entering  the  eternal  world.  Hooker, 
(often  styled  the"  Judicious")  says :  "I have  lived 
to  see  that  this  world  is  made  up  of  perturbations ; 
and  I  have  been  long  preparing  to  leave  it,  and  gath- 
ering comfort  for  the  dreadful  hour  of  making  my 
account  with  God,  which  I  now  apprehend  to  be  near. 
And,  though  I  have,  by  his  grace,  loved  him  in  my 
youth,  and  feared  him  in  my  age,  and  laboured  to  have 
a  conscience  void  of  offense  towards  him,  and  towards 
all  men ;  yet,  '  if  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  be  extreme 
to  mark  what  I  have  done  amiss,  who  can  abide  it  V 
And,  therefore,  where  I  have  failed,  Lord,  shew 
mercy  to  me,  for  I  plead  not  my  righteousness,  but 
the  forgiveness  of  my  unrighteousness  through  his 
merits,  who  died  to  purchase  pardon  for  penitent 
sinners.  And  since  I  owe  thee  a  death,  Lord,  let 
it  not  be  terrible,  and  then  take  thine  own  time  ;  I 
submit  to  it.     'Let  not  mine,  0  Lord,  but  thy  will 


THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER.  153 

be  done.'  God  hath  heard  my  daily  petitions  :  for  I 
am  at  peace  with  til  men  ;  and  lie  is  at  peace  with 
me.  From  such  blessed  assurance,  I  feel  that  in- 
ward joy  which  this  world  can  neither  give  nor  take 
from  me.  My  conscience  beareth  me  this  witness, 
and  this  witness  makes  the  thoughts  of  death  joyful. 
I  could  wish  to  live  to  do  the  church  more  service, 
but  cannot  hope  for  it ;  for  '  my  days  are  past,  as  a 
shadow  that  runs  not.'"  Here  his  strength  failed 
him,  and  he  sighed  out  hi3  last  breath,  falling  asleep 
in  Jesus,  and  no  doubt  entering  into  the  presence  of 
the  glorious  Redeemer,  where  is  fullness  of  joy. 

On  the  other  hand  the  Bible  tells  us  of  a  rich  man, 
clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  faring  sump- 
tuously every  day.  This  lasted  long.  His  heart  was 
hardened  in  pride,  and  steeled  against  pity.  At 
length  he  died,  and  was  buried,  and  in  hell  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments.  He  asked  that  a 
man,  whom  he  had  slighted  and  left  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  clogs,  might  be  sent  to  quench  the 
fires  of  Tophet  with  a  drop  of  water  on  the  tip  of 
his  finger — the  very  prayer  itself  being  full  of  des- 
pair. 0  is  there  not  a  difference  between  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked? 

Xn.  At  the  Judgment-day  this  difference  will  be 
yet  more  manifest — it  will  be  manifest  to  all.  "  Then 
shall  ye  return,  and  discern  between  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked,  between  him  that  serveth  God,  and 
him  that  serveth  him  not."  (Mai.  hi :  18.)  In  that 
great  day  any  man  would  rather  be  the  victim  than 
the  tyrant,  the  oppressed  than  the  oppressor,  the 
poor  than  the  proud,  the  saint  than  the  sinner. 
14* 


154         THE    SAINT    EXCELS    THE     SINNER. 
REMARKS. 

1.  The  proofs  of  the  excellence  of  true  religion 
are  many  and  overwhelming.  They  are  such  as  to 
extort  confessions  even  from  the  lips  of  enemies. 
A  thousand  times  have  the  hardened  skeptic  and  the 
daring  infidel  been  compelled  to  cry  out,  "Let  me 
die  the  death  of  the  righteous  and  let  my  last  end 
be  like  his."  If  men  in  christian  countries  would 
follow  their  best  convictions,  great  multitudes,  who 
are  now  in  sin,  would  be  saved. 

2.  Is  true  religion  so  powerful  for  good  ?  Then 
it  is  of  great  value,  and  we  are  bound  to  make  it 
known.      "  Let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come." 

3.  Obviously  regeneration  is  indispensably  neces- 
sary in  order  to  salvation.  Men  may  love  each 
other.  Friendships  may  be  strong  and  tender,  but 
without  the  grace  of  God,  the  wicked  will  be  found 
at  last  undone.  When  the  ship  Mexico  was  wrecked, 
two  sweet  little  sisters  were  found  congealed  to- 
gether, imbedded  in  ice.  They  had  died  in  each 
others'  arms.  So  we  may  go  to  the  eternal  world 
loving  and  being  loved  of  man  ;  but  if  we  are  not 
born  again,  the  frosts  of  eternal  death  will  stiffen 
us  forever. 

4.  Clearly  it  is  just,  proper  and  necessary  that 
there  be  a  great  difference  in  the  eternal  destiny  of 
the  righteous  and  of  the  wicked.  A  great  difference 
exists  in  all  time,  why  should  eternity  make  all 
alike  ? 


NO  An    AND    HIS     TIMES.  155 


CHAPTER  XIi; 

THOUGHTS   ON   NOAH,  HIS   TIMES,    HIS     FAITH    AND    HIS 
ARK. 

The  history  of  Noah  has  no  parallel.  It  is  a 
study  full  of  points,  full  of  instruction. 

His  name  signifies  rest,  repose,  consolation,  and 
seems  to  have  been  given  him  by  prophecy,  for  his 
father  said  :  "This  same  shall  comfort  us  concern- 
ing our  work  and  toil  of  our  hands."  Some  think 
that  his  father  regarded  him  as  the  promised  seed  of 
the  woman  ;  if  so,  he  was  mistaken. 

Like  Adam,  Noah  was  the  head  of  the  whole 
human  family,  and  for  a  time  lord  of  the  world. 
Like  Adam  he  was  a  type  of  Christ.  But  while 
Adam  brought  ruin  on  all  he  represented,  Noah  was 
honored  to  preserve  a  remnant  from  the  common 
destruction.  Noah  saw  the  world  before  the  flood, 
during  the  flood,  and  after  the  flood.  His  father 
was  born  before  Adam  died.  Noah  lived  six  hun- 
dred years  before  the  flood  and  three  hundred  and 
fifty  years  after  it.  When  he  died  he  was  twenty 
years  older  than  Adam  was  at  his  death.  But  two 
men  ever  lived  longer,  Jared  and  Methuselah,  the 
former  by  twelve,  the  latter  by  nineteen  years. 

Of  Noah's  piety  we  are  not  left  in  doubt.  The 
record  is  decisive : 


156  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH, 

" Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord;" 
"  Noah  was  a  just  man,  and  perfect  in  his  genera- 
tions ;  and  Noah  walked  with  God;"  "According, 
to  all  that  God  commanded  him,  so  did  he."  (Gen. 
vi:  8,  9,  22.) 

The  historical  fact  of  the  deluge  is  admitted  by 
almost  universal  tradition.  The  best  geologists  con- 
cede it.     Revelation  declares  and  establishes  it. 

Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  history  and  times  of 
this  man,  of  his  faith,  and  the  ark  which  he  built. 

I.    Let  us   notice   the   points   oe   resemblance 

IN  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  OLD  WORLD  AND  OF  THE 
WORLD  THAT  NOW  IS. 

In  the  days  of  Noah  a  very  large  proportion  of 
the  human  family  were  the  enemies  of  God  by 
wicked  works.  "God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of 
man  was  great  in  the  earth  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually .  .  .  and  God  looked  upon  the  earth, 
and  behold,  it  was  corrupt ;  for  all  flesh  had  cor- 
rupted his  way  upon  the  earth."  (Gen.  vi:  5,  13.) 
To  this  clay  this  is  a  just  account  of  human  nature. 
Corruption  marks  the  path  of  men.  When  such  is 
the  case,  dissolution  is  not  very  distant. 

In  the  days  of  Noah,  preaching  was  attended  with 
but  little  success.  Noah  himself  was  a  preacher  of 
righteousness,  (2  Pet.  ii :  5)  for  at  least  a  hundred 
and  twenty  years ;  yet  like  those  who  lived  after 
him,  he  was  forced  to  cry  :  "Who  hath  believed  our 
report  ?"  Of  all  earth's  inhabitants  but  seven  be- 
lieved him.  So  now  men  generally  pull  away  the 
14* 


HIS    FAITH    AND    HIS    ARK.  157 

shoulder  and  refuse  to  hearken.  Our  preaching  '  is 
but  shouting  in  dead  men's  ears,'  till  God's  Spirit 
calls  men  hack  to  life. 

•  In  the  days  of  Noah,  appearances  were  decidedly 
in  favor  of  the  wicked.  There  were  no  portents  of 
coming  evil,  no  signs  of  approaching  ruin.  There 
never  had  been  a  deluge.  Of  course  some  would 
think  there  never  could  be.  Perhaps  some  of  old 
were  as  philosophic  as  some  moderns,  and  proved  to 
their  own  satisfaction  that  there  was  not  in  nature 
water  enough  to  drown  the  world.  That  there  was 
no  remarkable  appearance  in  the  heavens  infallibly 
betokening  a  coming  deluge  is  certain ;  for  Noah 
was  "warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet." 
The  eye  of  sense  and  of  reason  perceived  nothing 
but  the  even  course  of  nature.  It  is  just  so  with 
the  wicked  now.  Temporal  things  are  seen,  are 
near,  are  urgent.  Eternal  things  are  unseen,  remote 
and  do  not  clamor  for  attention.  The  Judge  and 
the  judgment  bar,  in  whose  presence  we  are  to  ap- 
pear, are  both  invisible.  Heaven  and  hell  are  be- 
yond the  reach  of  our  senses.  Neither  the  king- 
dom of  God  nor  the  damnation  of  hell  come  with 
observation.  He  who  will  sin  may  transgress  with- 
out phenomena  to  startle  him. 

Many  and  solemn  warnings  were  given  the  old 
world.  "  Jesus  Christ  by  the  Spirit  preached  to  the 
disobedient  in  the  clays  of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was 
a  preparing."  (1  Pet.  hi:  19,20.)  Both  by  words 
and  by  example  Noah  "  condemned  the  world"  that 
then  was.  These  warnings  lasted  long.  All  admit 
that  Noah  was  probably  engaged  fifty  years  in  build- 


158  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH, 

iug  the  ark.  Some  concede  a  still  longer  time.  The 
preaching  of  Noah  and  of  other  pious  men  had  given 
timely  and  abundant  warning.  It  is  so  now.  Wis- 
dom cries:  "  Unto  you,  0  men,  I  call;  and  my 
voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men."  Every  species  of 
warning  that  ought  to  influence  men's  moral  con- 
duct, is  given  U3  by  the  Lord,  and  so  kind,  timely, 
solemn  and  awful. 

God  was  very  patient  and  forbearing  with  the  old 
world.  He  waited  a  long  while.  His  stroke  was 
not  one  of  impatience.  "  The  long-suffering  of  God 
waited  in  the  days  of  Noah."  (1  Pet.  hi :  20.)  Con- 
sidering the  length  of  human  life  in  those  days,  and 
the  skill  with  which  men  seemed  to  have  sinned,  it 
is  clear  that  the  Most  High  was  slow  to  anger.  In 
this  day  too  God  is  very  patient.  Indeed  his  for- 
bearance is  amazing.  "  The  Lord  is  long-suffering 
to  usward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  come  to  repentance."  (2  Pet.  hi:  9.) 
Why  will  not  men  come  to  repentance  ? 

But  the  old  world  abused  God's  nfercy.  They 
said  if  he  meant  to  punish,  he  would  not  wait  so 
long.  Thus  they  hardened  themselves  in  sin.  They 
esteemed  Noah's  preaching  as  babbling.  They 
counted  the  ark  a  monument  of  his  folly.  They 
sinned  by  quantity.  It  is  just  so  now  :  "  Because 
sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speed- 
ily, therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully 
set  in  them  to  do  evil."  (Ecc.  viii:  11.)  This  is 
human  nature  until  it  is  made  a  partaker  of  the 
divine  nature.  Only  when  regenerate,  do  men 
count  the  long-suifering  of  God  salvation. 


HIS    FAITH    AND     HIS    ARK.  159 

The  old  world  was  spared  so  long  as  it  was  because 
God  had  a  church,  and  as  yet  the  ark  was  not  fin- 
ished. God  never  confounds  the  righteous  with  the 
wicked.  He  always  discerns  between  them  who 
serve  him  and  them  who  serve  him  not.  But  as 
soon  as  the  ark  was  completed  and  his  church  safely 
lodged  in  it,  his  wrath  burst  forth.  This  is  clearly 
taught  by  the  history  of  the  affair  and  by  the  words 
of  the  apostle :  "The  long-suffering  of  God  waited 
while  the  ark  was  a  preparing."  (1  Pet  hi :  20.)  So 
now  the  church  preserves  the  world.  God's  people 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth.  For  the  elects'  sake  the 
world  stands.  (Matt,  xxiv:  22.)  "In  it  shall  be 
a  tenth,  and  it  shall  return,  and  shall  be  eaten  :  as  a 
teil  tree,  and  as  an  oak  whose  substance  is  in  them, 
when  they  cast  their  leaves  :  so  the  holy  seed  shall 
be  the  substance  thereof."     (Isa.  vi :  13.) 

God  would  save  none  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
old  world  without  their  consent  and  concurrence. 
If  Noah  himself  will  be  saved,  he  must  build  an 
ark  for  that  purpose  and  must  go  into  it.  God  never 
works  miracles  for  the  indolent,  nor  drags  reluctant 
men  into  heaven.  His  people  are  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power.  •  In  this  day  as  much  as  in  any  other 
men  must  work  out  their  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling. 

II.  Let  us  notice  some  things   in  which  Noah 

WAS    LIKE   THE   PIOUS    IN   OUR   DAY. 

Noah  took  the  warnings  which  God  gave  him. 
"  Being  warned  of  God  he  prepared  an  ark."  It  is 
a  part  of  God's  general  plan  to  admonish  his  crea- 


160  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH, 

tures.  His  word  abounds  in  kind  and  salutary  cau- 
tions. It  is  a  sign  of  heavenly  wisdom  to  receive 
these  timely  notices  of  coming  ruin.  Noah  and  all 
saints  know  the  voice  of  God  both  in  warning  and 
in  encouraging.  0  let  us  be  warned.  The  saints 
have  the  best  reason  in  the  world  for  their  pious 
conduct  :  they  are  warned  of  God. 

Not  like  a  coward,  but  like  a  courageous  man, 
Noah  yielded  to  reasonable  fears.  Foolish  men  are 
stupid  when  they  should  prepare  for  coming  events, 
and  alarmed  when  fear  can  do  no  good.  True  cour- 
age foresees  danger  and  provides  against  it.  It  is 
fool-hardiness  not  to  fear  terrible  things.  Noah  fore- 
saw the  evil,  and  though  not  perturbed,  he  was 
"  moved  with  fear. "  Pious  men  now  contemplate 
with  salutary  fear  the  terrors  of  God's  wrath,  the 
thunders  of  his  power.  These  fears  are  rational  and 
potential  for  good.  They  make  the  cross  of  Christ 
precious. 

The  governing  principle  of  Noah's  conduct  was 
reliance  on  the  testimony  of  God.  < '  By  faith  Noah 
prepared  an  ark."  His  faith  was  mighty.  The 
popular  current  ran  counter  both  to  his  belief  and 
his  actions.  The  time  set  by  God  for  the  flood  was 
remote,  if  not  uncertain.  The  expense  of  time,  toil 
and  wealth  in  building  the  ark  was  immense.  The 
expectation  of  being  saved  by  any  means  in  such  a 
deluge  looked  extravagant.  All  things  considered 
Noah's  faith  was  very  illustrious.  The  great  trial  of 
Abrani's  faith  lasted  but  three  days  ;  Noah's  lasted 
certainly  more  than  a  century.  Abram's  was  con- 
fined to  his  own  bosom  ;  Noah's  was  aggravated  by 


HIS    FAITH   AND    HIS    ARK.  1G1 

the  taunts  of  the  wits  of  his  time.  So  faith  is  the 
great  controlling  efficient  principle  in  the  pious  of 
this  time.  What  would  a  follower  of  Christ  do 
without  faith  ? 

Noah  showed  his  wisdom  by  preparing  for  the 
very  worst  event  which  he  had  any  right  to  expect. 
He  had  cause  to  look  for  the  flood  ;  he  prepared  for 
it  ;  and  when  it  came  he  was  ready.  If  there  had 
been  no  flood  he  would  have  been  as  safe  as  others. 
As  things  turned  out  he  was  the  only  head  of  a 
house  who  saved  himself  and  his  family.  So  it  is 
with  the  Christian.  If  God  shall  never  punish  any 
one,  of  course  he  will  never  be  condemned.  If  all 
shall  be  saved,  of  course  he  will  not  be  lost.  If 
there  is  no  hell,  of  course  he  will  not  lie  down  in 
eternal  burnings.  If  there  shall  come  no  day  of 
wrath,  he  cannot  suffer  perdition.  But  if  Tophet  is 
ordained  of  old,  if  there  is  an  avenging  God,  then 
the  Christian  is  safe  ;  and  he  alone  is  safe.  Others 
must  perish. 

By  his  preaching  and  practice,  Noah  "condemned 
the  world."  His  speech  and  his  example  left  with- 
out excuse  all  who  persisted  in  sin.  So  now  by  their 
pious  conversation  and  lives  of  faith,  christians  re- 
prove and  condemn  those  who  walk  after  the  flesh. 
Fearful  criminality  attaches  to  him  who  in  defiance 
ot  godly  example  persists  in  sin. 

By  his  course  of  conduct  Noah  became  heir  of  the 
righteousness  which  is  by  faith.  So  also  do  saints  of 
this  day.  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  who 
are  in  Christ  Jesus."  (Rom.  viii  :  1.)  "Who 
shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's   elect  ? 


162  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH, 

It  is  God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemn- 
eth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather  that  is  risen 
again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us."  (Kom.  viii:  33,  34.) 
In  the  ark  the  number  saved  was  small.  The 
Apostle  says  "  few,  that  is,  eight  souls  were  saved." 
(1  Pet.  hi:  20.)  It  is  still  true  that  "many  are 
called  and  but  few  chosen."  The  wicked  world  de- 
spises such  statements  as  the  Bible  makes  on  all 
sacred  things.  So  did  they  before  the  flood.  Men 
are  vexed  that  christians  should  have  better  hopes 
than  they.  The  great  mass  are  despisers,  who  be- 
hold, and  wonder,  and  perish.  If  the  flock  of  Christ 
is  little,  let  us  adore  the  grace  that  makes  us  of  that 
number ;  let  us  remember  that  none  are  safe  but  be- 
lievers in  Jesus ;  let  us  be  very  earnest,  looking 
diligently  lest  any  man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God ; 
let  us  not  be  discouraged  because  few  come  to  the 
solemn  feasts  of  Zion ;  and  let  us  be  solemnly  im- 
pressed with  the  truth  that  he  who  perishes  in  a 
christian  land  perishes  wilfully.  So  taught  Jesus  : 
"Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life." 
(Johnv:  40.) 

III.   Let  us  notice  some  points  of  resemblance 

BETWEEN  THE  ARK  AND  OUR  LORD  JESUS  ClIRIST. 

The  ark  was  very  capacious.  So  vast  a  structure 
for  riding  on  the  waters  had  never  been  known. 
Its  tonnage  was  greater  than  that  of  forty  ships  of 
a  thousand  tons  each.  So  Jesus  Christ  is  able  to 
save  all  that  come  unto  him.  In  Noah's  day  no 
man  perished  because  on  seeking  he  found  not  room 


HIS     FAITH    AND    HIS    ARK.  163 

in  the  ark.     Now  no  man  perishes  "because  there 
is  any  lack  of  grace  or  merit  in  Jesus  Christ. 

The  ark  was  long  a  preparing.  So  the  plan  of 
salvation  dates  from  eternity,  and  has  been  unfold- 
ing from  the  first  promise  in  Eden  till  the  Redeemer 
pronounced  the  work  finished  on  Calvary. 

The  strength  of  the  ark  was  immense,  it  could 
not  be  broken.  Besides  being  well  built,  it  was 
girt  with  omnipotence.  But  Jesus  Christ  is  full  of 
strength.  He  is  a  rock,  a  fortress,  a  deliverer, 
mighty  to  save,  the  mighty  God.  None  can  pluck 
his  people  out  of  his  hand. 

There  was  a  time  when  the  ark  might  be  entered ; 
then  came  a  time  when  it  could  not  be  entered. 
The  door  was  shut  before  the  tempest  and  floods 
came.  So  now  Jesus  Christ  invites  us  all  to  him. 
He  is  ready  to  receive  us.  The  Master  of  the 
house,  however,  will  soon  rise  up  and  shut  to  the 
door. 

The  ark  seems  to  have  been  constructed  without 
rudder,  or  sails,  or  any  appliances  for  moving  or 
protecting  itself.  A  constant  watchful  providence 
was  over  it.  So  was  it  with  Jesus  Christ  when  on 
earth,  and  so  has  it  always  been  with  those  who  are 
in  Christ.  God  guides  them  with  his  eye.  The 
very  hairs  of  their  heads  are  numbered. 

The  ark  was  God's  sole  appointed  way  for  saving 
men  from  the  deluge.  He  who  despised  it,  despised 
God  and  perished.  Christ  is  the  only  way  of  sal- 
vation to  lost  men.  He  that  despiseth  him,  de- 
spiseth  him  that  sent  him. 

The  ark  was  for  all  living  things  on  the  face  of 


164  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH 

the  whole  earth.  Great  and  small,  clean  and  un- 
clean, tame  and  wild,  gentle  and  ferocious,  the  kid 
and  the  lion,  the  dove  and  the  serpent  were  gath- 
ered there  under  N"oah.  So  in  Christ  the  wolf  dwells 
with  the  lamb,  the  leopard  lies  down  with  the  kid;  and 
the  calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the  fading  together, 
and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them.  And  the  cow 
and  the  bear  feed,  and  their  young  ones  lie  down 
together...  and  the  sucking  child  plays  on  the  hole 
of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  puts  his  hand  on 
the  cockatrice's  den.  (Isa.  xi:  6-9.)  Egypt,  Phil- 
istia,  Chaldea,  Assyria,  Tabor  and  Hermon, 
Arabia  and  Ethiopia,  Seba  and  the  isles  of 
-the  sea,  yea,  the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  dra- 
gons and  the  owls  shall  honor  God.  So  say  many 
prophets. 

The  ark  saved  Noah  and  his  family  from  the  flood. 
So  Jesus  Christ  is  spoken  of  by  the  prophets  as  "a 
place  of  refuge,  and  for  a  covert  from  storm  and 
from  rain."  (Isa.  iv:  Q.)  Again,  "Thou  hast 
been  a  strength  to  the  needy  in  distress,  a  refuge 
from  the  storm,  when  the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones 
is  as  a  storm  against  the  wall."  (Isa.  xxv:  4.) 
Again,  "  Surely  in  the  floods  of  great  waters,  they 
shall  not  come  nigh  unto  him."  (Ps.  xxxii :  6.) 
Thus  safe  is  the  child  of  God.  So  too  when  the 
deluge  of  fire  shall  come  it  shall  have  no  power 
over  him.  Deliverance  from  floods  of  water  and 
from  consuming  fire  is  promised  in  the  same  verse: 
"When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be 
with  thee;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
Overflow  thee:  when  thou  walkcst  through  the  fire, 
15 


HIS    FAITH   AND    HIS    ARK.  165 

thou  shalt  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee."     (Isa.  xliii :  2.) 

"As  the  ark,  after  the  tossings  and  tempests  of 
the  flood,  rested  safely  on  the  top  of  Mount  Ararat ; 
so  Christ,  having  suffered  all  things  that  were  ap- 
pointed, '  entered  into  his  glory  ;' "  and  his  rest  is 
glorious. 

IV.   Let  us  notice  the  points  of  resemblance 

BETWEEN   THE    DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    OLD    WORLD    AND 
THE  COMING  DESTRUCTION  OF  WICKED  MEN. 

The  old  world  was  destroyed  by  a  flood ;  and  the 
wicked  will  be  destroyed  in  a  similar  manner. 
"Thou  earnest  them  away  as  with  a  flood."  (Ps. 
xe:  5.)  "Terrors  take  hold  on  him  (the  wicked 
rich  man)  as  waters,  a  tempest  stealeth  him  away 
in  the  night.  The  east  wind  carrieth  him  away, 
and  he  cleparteth ;  and  as  a  storm  hurleth  him  out 
of  his  place."  (Job  xxvii:  20,  21.)  Often  in 
Scriptures  waters,  floods,  waves,  billows,  tempests 
and  water-spouts  are  the  emblems  of  anguish  and 
distress.  (See  Ps.  xlii:  7  ;  and  lxxxvih :  7.)  How 
terrible  will  be  the  ruin  of  the  wicked !  It  will  be 
an  overthrow  complete  and  total. 

There  was  no  escaping  the  waters  and  ruin  of  the 
deluge  when  it  came.  The  flood  was  above,  be- 
neath, around.  So  will  it  be  in  the  destruction  of 
the  wicked.  He  who  opened  the  chambers  of  hea- 
ven and  emptied  the  water-spouts  on  the  earth  "  will 
rain  snares,  fire,  brimstone  and  an  horrible  tempest 
on  the  wicked :  this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their 
cup."     (Ps.  xi:    6.)      Compare  Isa.  xxiv :  17-20. 


1G6  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH, 

Amos  ix :  1-4.     Isa.  xxviii :  17,  18.    Dan.  ix :  26. 
Ezek.  xxxviii:  22. 

In  the  deluge  the  ruin  was  total  and  universal. 
"All  the  high  hills  which  were  under  the  whole 
heaven  were  covered :  and  all  flesh  died,  that  moved 
upon  the  earth,  both  of  fowl,  and  of  cattle,  and  of 
beasts  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth 
upon  the  earth,  and  every  man.  All,  in  whose 
nostrils  was  the  breath  of  life,  of  all  that  was  in 
the  dry  land,  died.  And  every  living  substance 
was  destroyed  which  was  upon  the  face  of  the 
ground,  both  man  and  cattle,  and  the  creeping 
things,  and  the  fowl  of  heaven."  (Gen.  vii:  21- 
24. )  So  shall  it  be  with  the  ungodly  at  last.  <  <  The 
wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  nations 
thut  forget  God."     (Ps.  ix:  17.) 

The  flood  lasted  long  enough  to  complete  the 
entire  work  begun  by  it.  Forty  days  and  forty 
nights  without  intermission  did  the  windows  of 
heaven  and  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  pour 
forth  their  floods,  till  the  highest  mountains  were 
covered  fifteen  cubits.  Then  the  waters  stood  still 
one  hundred  and  ten  days  longer,  soon  after  which 
the  ark  rested  upon  the  top  of  a  high  mountain  ;  but 
it  was  a  whole  year  and  eleven  days  from  the  time 
Noah  entered  the  ark  before  he  thought  it  safe  to 
leave  it.  But  the  deluge  of  divine  wrath  shall  last 
not  only  three  hundred  and  seventy-six  days,  but 
forever  and  ever. 

Though  many  warnings  had  been  given,  yet  to 
most  men  the  destruction  by  the  flood  was  sudden 
and  unexpected.     So  shall  it  be  in  the  destruction 


HIS    FAITH    AND    HIS    ARK.  167 

of  the  wicked.  For  "as  in  the  days  that  were 
before  the  flood,  they  were  eating  and  drinking, 
marrying,  and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day 
that  Noe  entered  into  the  ark,  and  knew  not  until 
the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all  away :  so  shall 
also  the  corning  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  (Matt. 
xxiv;  38,39.)     Compare  Luke  xvii :  26-30. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Though  the  ark  was  tossed  to  and  fro  for  a 
long  time,  and  yet  found  rest,  so  shall  it  be  with 
the  church  of  Christ,  now  "tossed  with  tempest 
and  not  comforted."  (Isa.  liv:  11.)  When  ready 
to  be  overwhelmed,  God  will  lead  her  to  the  Rock 
that  is  higher  than  she.  (Ps.  lxi :  2.)  Yes,  dear 
people  of  God,  the  days  of  your  turmoil  and  per- 
turbation shall  not  last  always.  Enlargement  and 
deliverance  shall  come  in  due  time.  ' '  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation  :  but  be  of  good  cheer  ;  I 
have  overcome  the  world,"  says  your  Saviour. 

2.  We  have  seen  how  long-suffering  God  is 
towards  his  bitter  foes  ;  then  let  us  imitate  him 
and  "be  patient  toward  all  men."  "Be  grieved 
at  their  sin,  for  that  is  your  duty ;  but  think  it  not 
strange  nor  fret  at  it,  that  they  continue  to  abuse 
the  long-suffering  of  God,  and  yet  that  he  continues 
ever  abused  by  suffering  them.  Zeal  is  good  only 
as  it  springs  from  love."  (Luke  ix:  55.)  "The 
wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of 
God."   God  himself  conquers  by  love.    (Rom.  ii :  4.) 

3.  The  first    thing   Noah   did    after   the  flood 


168  THOUGHTS    ON   NOAH 

was  to  build  an  altar  to  the  Lord,  and  of  the  clean 
animals  preserved  in  the  ark  to  offer  a  sacrifice. 
He  pleaded  not  the  scantiness  of  his  supplies. 
*  *  What  is  saved  from  God  and  the  wretched,  from 
religion  and  humanity,  will  never  make  any  one 
rich.  What  is  bestowed  on  works  of  piety  and 
mercy,  is  property  laid  out  at  more  than  common 
interest."  "  And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savour ; 
and  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  will  not  again 
curse  the  ground  anymore  for  man's  sake."  (Gen. 
viii:  21.) 

4.  Let  us  cultivate  faith,  without  which  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  God.  The  reason  why  our  piety 
is  so  dwarfish  is  that  our  faith  is  so  feeble.  "Lord, 
increase  our  faith." 

5.  None  are  safe  but  the  righteous.  God  is 
with  them ;  and  he  is  against  the  wicked.  As  the 
deluge  reached  every  sinner  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  so  shall  God's  anger  break  forth  and  destroy 
all  his  enemies. 

G.  The  righteous  are  safe  and  shall  be  abundantly 
honored.  Long  generations  after  the  deluge,  by  a 
great  prophet,  the  Lord  enrols  Noah  with  such  wor- 
thies as  Daniel  and  Job.  (Ezek.  xiv  :  14,  20.)  The 
best  of  all  is,  his  name  is  written  in  heaven. 

7.  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark. 
(Gen.  vii:  1.)  Come  thou.  Set  the  example.  In 
the  cause  of  God  and  of  righteousness  be  firm,  and 
like  Noah  willing  to  stand  in  a  minority  of  one 
against  the  world.  And  bring  all  thy  house  with 
thee.     Leave  not  one  behind. 


15< 


LIFE    AND    CHARACTER    OF    PETER.  169 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PETER. 

One  of  the  most  striking  characters  in  history  is 
that  of  Simon  Peter.  In  it  is  something  to  deplore 
and  avoid,  but  much  to  admire  and  imitate.  His 
was  no  tame  and  negative  character.  His  life  was 
full  of  incidents,  full  of  trials,  full  of  blessings.  It 
was  troubled,  but  it  ended  well.  No  man  ever  lived 
in  more  eventful  times.  None  was  a  more  eager 
actor  in  the  stirring  events  of   his  own  day. 

The  first  thing  we  learn  of  this  extraordinary  man 
is  that  he  is  the  brother  of  the  apostle  Andrew.  He 
is  also  called  Bar-jona  ;  but  learned  men  are  not 
agreed  whether  that  points  to  his  father  or  his  mother. 
Some  think  it  the  same  as  Jonah  or  John  ;  others 
regard  it  as  a  contraction  for  Joanna.  The  more 
probable  opinion  is  that  Jon  a  was  his  father.  His 
own  first  name  was  Simon  or  Simeon,  one  that  hears 
or  obeys.  Peter  is  Greek  and  Cephas  is  Syro-chal- 
claic,  and  each  of  them  signifies  a  rock. 

Peter  lived  with  his  family  at  Capernaum,  on  a 
beautiful  sheet  of  water  sometimes  called  the  lake  of 
Gennesareth,  sometimes  the  sea  of  Tiberias,  and 
sometimes  the  sea  of  Galilee.  (Mark  i :  29;  Matt, 
viii :  14;  Luke  iv  :  38.)  He  had  a  wife  and  her 
mother  in  his  family.     Early  tradition  says  he  had 


170  THE     LIFE     AND     CHARACTER 

children.  Both  Clemens  Alexandrinus  and  Epi- 
phanius  so  acknowledge.  Augustine  mentions  a 
daughter  of  this  apostle.  It  is  also  said  that  his 
daughter  Petrina  or  Petronilla  suffered  martyrdom, 
and  that  her  name  is  inserted  in  some  martyrologies 
for  the  31st  of  May. 

Andrew,  being  called  by  Christ,  met  Peter  and 
said  to  him,  "We  have  found  the  Messias,  and  brought 
him  to  Jesus.  This  was  when  our  Saviour  was 
thirty  years  old.  At  this  time  Peter  is  thought  to 
have  been  forty  years  old  cr  upwards.  So  that  he 
was  ten  or  more  years  older  than  his  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter. It  is  a  great  thing  to  have  a  good  brother,  one 
who  will  not  rest  till  he  sees  us  coming  to  Jesus. 
These  brothers  seem  to  have  remained  with  Christ 
at  first  but  a  short  time,  some  think  but  a  day, 
when,  no  doubt  with  the  consent  of  their  Lord, 
they  returned  for  the  present  to  their  usual  employ- 
ment, which  was  fishing.  This  occupation  was  al- 
ways humble  and  laborious.  They  seem  to  have 
prosecuted  this  business  with  diligence.  They  were 
not  idlers. 

This  first  calling  of  Peter  gave  a  turn  to  his  whole 
life  and  character.  This  was  the  day  of  his  happy 
change,  when  God's  grace  determined  him  to  be  for 
Christ  and  for  no  other.  He  received  Christ  and 
with  him  power  to  become  one  of  the  sons  of  God. 
The  beginning  of  a  new  life  is  a  great  matter. 

But  the  return  of  Peter  and  Andrew  to  their  nets 
and  ships  was  only  temporary.  The  same  year,  in 
which  they  first  believed,  Christ  stood  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake  of  Gennesareth,  and  saw  them  washing 


OF    THE    APOSTLE    PETER.  171 

their  nets.  The  inspired  record  here  is  full  and 
graphic.  It  says  Jesus  "entered  into  one  of  the 
ships,  which  was  Simon's,  and  prayed  him  that  he 
would  thrust  out  a  little  from  the  land.  And  he  sat 
down,  and  taught  the  people  out  of  the  ship.  Now 
when  he  had  left  speaking,  he  said  unto  Simon, 
Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets 
for  a  draught.  And  Simon,  answering,  said  unto 
him,  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  have 
taken  nothing  ;  nevertheless,  at  thy  word  I  will  let 
down  the  net.  And  when  they  had  this  done,  they 
enclosed  a  great  multitude  of  fishes  :  and  their  net 
brake.  And  they  beckoned  unto  their  partners, 
which  were  in  the  other  ship,  that  they  should  come 
and  help  them.  And  they  came  and  filled  both  the 
ships  so  that  they  began  to  sink.  When  Simon 
Peter  saw  it,  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees,  saying, 
Depart  from  me  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  Lord. 
For  he  was  astonished  and  all  that  were  with  him, 
at  the  draught  of  the  fishes  which  they  had  taken  : 
and  so  was  also  James  and  John  the  sons  of  Zebe- 
dee,  which  were  partners  with  Simon.  And  Jesus 
said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not ;  from  henceforth  thou 
shalt  catch  men.  And  when  they  had  brought  their 
ships  to  land,  they  forsook  all :  and  followed  him." 
(Luke  5  :  3-11.)  This  is  the  second  step  leading  to 
the  public  ministry  and  usefulness  of  Peter.  He 
was  now  under  the  tuition  of  one,  in  whom  he  had 
entire  confidence,  and  he  was  a  disciple  indeed.  He 
learned  the  lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom. 

Some  think  it  was  alter  this  time  that  Christ  came 
to  Capernaum,  and  finding   Peter's    mother-in-law 


172  THE    LIFE  AND  CHARACTER 

sick  of  a  fever,   he  miraculously  healed  her,    and 
she  arose  and  began  to  serve  them. 

About  two  years  from  his  first  acquaintance  with 
his  Master,  Peter  entered  on  his  public  ministry, 
lie  did  not  seek  to  hasten  this  solemn  step.  He 
was  sent  with  others  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel.  He  was  not  reluctant  to  do  the  work 
assigned  him.  He  dared  not  assume  the  responsi- 
bility of  declining  an  office  to  which  God  called 
him.  False  humility  is  but  rebellion.  In  this 
mission  Peter  and  his  associates  "preached  and 
healed  every  where."  The  object  of  their  preach- 
ing seems  to  have  been  much  the  same  as  that  of 
John  the  Baptist.  It  was  preparatory  and  intro- 
ductory to  the  setting  up  of  Christ's  kingdom.  A 
wise  preacher  will  endeavor  to  prepare  the  people 
for  those  truths,  which  they  otherwise  would  reject. 

The  next  thing  we  hear  of  Peter  is  his  requesting 
Christ  to  call  him  out  of  a  ship  one  night  and  to  bid 
him  walk  on  the  water.  His  motive  in  this  case  is 
not  very  apparent.  Did  he  wish  to  try  the  strength  of 
his  own  faith?  Was  he  so  desirous  of  being  near  to 
Christ  that  he  could  wait  no  longer  for  his  arrival? 
Was  it  a  desire  to  gratify  an  adventurous  spirit? 
Was  it  an  act  of  presumption  ?  We  may  not  be 
able  to  satisfy  ourselves  on  these  points.  Christ 
consented,  however,  and  Peter,  making  the  attempt, 
soon  began  to  sink,  and  cried  out  "Lord, save  me." 
In  his  love  Christ  put  forth  his  hand  and  rescued 
him.  Peter  had  many  sad  lessons  to  learn  respect- 
ing his  own  weakness.  This  was  but  one  of  a  long 
series. 


OF  THE  ArOSTLE  TETER.        173 

When  Christ  said :  "Not  that  which  goeth  into 
the  mouth  defileth  a  man ;  but  that,  which  cometh 
out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man ;"  Peter  an- 
swered and  "said 'unto  him,  Declare  unto  us  this 
parable.''  (Matt,  xv:  11,  15.)  Thus  he  evinced 
his  characteristic  promptness  in  all  such  things. 

The  next  time  we  hear  of  Peter  was  when  so 
many  were  offended  at  Christ's  doctrine  and  forsook 
his  ministry.  Jesus  asked  his  disciples  if  they  also 
would  leave  him?  "Then  Simon  Peter  answered 
him,  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  thou  hast  the 
words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  believe  and  are  sure 
that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God."     (John  vi:   68,  G9.) 

Perhaps,  it  was  not  long  after  this,  "when  Jesus 
came  into  the  coasts  of  Cesarea  Philippi,  and  asked 
his  disciples.  ..whom  say  ye  that  I  am?  and  Simon 
Peter  answered  and  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God.  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-jona: 
for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee, 
but  my  Father,  which  is  in  heaven.  And  I  say  also 
unto  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter  [xsrpos],  and  upon 
this  rock  [izsTpa]  I  will  build  my  church ;  and  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  I 
will  give  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven : 
and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose 
on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  (Matt,  xvi  : 
13,  15-19.)  Here  we  have  a  proof  of  Peter's  rea- 
diness to  answer  for  himself  and  others,  (v.  10.) 
Through  life  he  seems  never  to  have  been  of  a  hesi- 


174  THE    LIFE    AND    CHARACTER 

tating  mind.  Next  we  have  a  renewed  avowal  of 
Peter's  belief  in  the  Messiahship  and  divinity  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (v.  16.)  Then  we  have  Christ's 
declaration  of  the  blessing  that  had  come  upon 
Peter,  particularly  in  his  being  taught  of  God. 
Then  follow  the  change  of  Peter's  name,  and  a 
declaration  that  upon  the  great  truth  thus  confessed 
the  church  should  rest,  and  nothing  should  subvert 
it.  Lastly,  we  have  Christ's  statement  of  the  power 
of  the  keys.  That  this  power  was  in  no  sense 
peculiar  to  Peter  is  evident  from  Matt,  xviii :  18, 
where  Christ  says  to  all  the  disciples,  ' '  Verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth, 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven :  and  whatsoever  ye  shall 
loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  The 
meaning  of  all  this  is  that  whoever  shall  be  by  them 
according  to  Christ's  word  declared  blessed,  shall 
indeed  be  blessed ;  but  they,  who  shall  be  rightfully 
rejected  from  the  church,  shall  be  rejected  of  God 
also. 

The  next  time  we  hear  of  Peter  is  where  he 
brings  upon  himself  the  severe  rebuke  of  the  Lord, 
who  was  foretelling  his  own  sufferings  and  death. 
Peter  said,  "Be  it  far  from  thee,  Lord:  this 
shall  not  be  unto  thee."  But  "  Jesus  said  unto 
Peter,  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan ;  thou  art  an 
offence  unto  me :  for  thou  savourest  not  the  things 
that  be  of  God,  but  these  that  be  of  men."  (Matt, 
xvi :  22,  23,)  q.  d.  Your  opposition  to  my  suffer- 
ings arises  from  a  blind,  earthly  affection,  indulged 
in  ignorance  of  the  true  interest  and  object  of  my 
coming  into  the  world.     It  is  the  fruit  of  unbelief. 


OF  THE  AFOSTLE  PETER.       175 

It  makes  you  my  tempter,  instead  of  my  encour- 
ager.  To  defer  the  day  of  crucifixion  would  have 
been  to  postpone  redemption. 

The  next  time  we  hear  of  Peter  is  at  the  trans- 
figuration. This  scene  made  a  great  impression  on 
him.  lie  said  it  was  good  to  be  there,  and  pro- 
posed the  erection  of  three  tents,  one  for  his  Mas- 
ter, and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias.  This 
proposal  is  stated  by  both  Matthew  and  Luke ;  but 
Luke  says  that  Peter  "knew  not  what  he  was  say- 
ing." The  whole  vision  overpowered  him.  It  was 
too  much  for  him.  He  spoke  confusedly.  (Matt, 
xvii:  1-3;  Luke  ix :  28-33.) 

Some  time  after  this  Peter  drew  from  our  Lord 
several  important  lessons.  One  was  the  lawfulness 
and  obligation  of  supporting  the  government,  under 
which  we  live,  by  paying  taxes.  To  this  end  Christ 
miraculously  provided  the  means  in  the  mouth  of 
the  fish  which  Peter  caught.  Another  was  that  for- 
giveness of  injuries  was  to  be  granted  even  to  the 
four  hundred  and  ninetieth  time ;  i.  e.,  no  limit  was 
to  be  affixed  to  it.  Another  was  that  all  Christ's 
servants  should  receive  for  all  their  sacrifices  an 
hundred  fold  in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to 
come,  life  everlasting.  (Matt,  xvii :  27  ;  xviii :  21, 
22,  anclxix:  27-29.) 

Three  days  before  our  Lord's  passion  Peter  drew 
Christ's  attention  to  the  withered  fig-tree,  which 
the  Lord  had  cursed.  Two  days  before  the  cruci- 
fixion Peter  inquired  when  the  temple  should  be 
destroyed.  The  day  before  the  crucifixion  he  and 
John  went  into  Jerusalem  and  prepared  to  celebrate 


176  THE    LIFE    AND    CHARACTER 

the  passover.  That  night  at  supper  Peter  made 
signs  to  John  to  ask  Jesus  who  should  betray  him. 
Afler  supper  questions  of  precedency  arose,  and 
Jesus  to  shew  them  his  views  girded  himself,  and 
began  to  wash  their  feet.  To  this  Peter  in  his  own 
case  objected  in  strong  language;  but  finding 
Christ's  authority  against  him,  he  yielded,  saying, 
"Lord,  wash  not  my  feet  only,  but  also  my  hands, 
and  my  head."  (Mark  xi :  21.  Matt,  xxiv:  3. 
Markxiv:  15.     Johnxiii:   24.     John  xiii:  9.) 

"We  are  now  to  view  this  distinguished  servant  of 
God  in  circumstances  novel  and  difficult.  Previous 
to  his  passion,  Christ  informed  his  disciples  that 
they  should  forsake  him.  lie  particularly  informed 
Peter  that  Satan  desired  to  sift  him  as  wheat. 
Peter  professed  to  regard  such  a  suspicion  with  amaze- 
ment. He  said,  "Though  all  men  forsake  thee  yet 
will  not  I."  Spiritual  pride  had  a  hand  in  dictating 
this  reply.  Peter  was  painfully  ignorant  of  the 
weakness  of  his  own  virtue.  Self-confidence  is  a 
poor  substitute  for  genuine  humility.  Christ  ex- 
horted his  disciples  to  watch  and  pray  lest  they  should 
enter  into  temptation.  Instead  of  taking  this  warn- 
ing Peter  with  the  rest  seems  to  have  been  quite  off 
his  guard,  and  in  the  garden  fell  asleep.  "When  the 
dreadful  hour  of  betrayal  came,  Peter  had  a  some- 
what fierce,  carnal  spirit,  and  drew  his  sword,  and 
smote  off  the  ear  of  Malchus.  The  Saviour  healed 
the  wound,  and  warned  Peter  against  carnal  wea- 
pons in  his  cause. 

Christ   was  now   led   away   by  his  captors,  and 
Peter's  courage  be^an  to  fail  him.     Fear  and  trepi- 
16 


OF  THE  APOSTLE  PETER.       177 

dation  seized  him.  Accordingly  as  they  led  Jesus 
away  Peter  followed  afar  off.  He  had  real  love  to 
Christ,  and  so  could  not  utterly  forsake  him.  His 
love  was  weak  and  his  fears  very  strong,  and  so  he 
followed  at  a  distance,  lie  wished  to  see  the  end 
of  the  matter,  and  came  to  the  high-priest's  palace, 
but  went  not  in  where  his  Master  was,  but  remained 
in  the  middle  of  the  hall,  where  the  servants  and 
soldiers  had  a  fire.  This  was  bad  company.  Here 
a  young  woman  charged  him  with  belonging  to 
Christ's  company.  Another  damsel  soon  did  the 
same  thing.  To  both  these  Peter  gave  a  denial. 
"I  know  not  what  thou  say  est."  "  Again  he  de- 
nied with  an  oath,  I  do  not  know  the  man."  About 
an  hour  after  a  third  person  brought  the  same 
charge,  and  they  that  stood  by  joined  in  with  him. 
But  he  "began  to  curse  and  to  swear,  saying,  I 
know  not  the  man."  What  a  sad  failure  of  cour- 
age !  What  work  is  this  man  making  for  bitter 
repentance ! 

Immediately  on  his  third  denial  the  cock  crew. 
This  reminded  him  of  what  the  Lord  had  said. 
About  the  same  time  Jesus  gave  him  a  significant 
look.  These  things  awakened  reflection.  "He 
thought  thereon."  His  conscience  was  now  aroused. 
The  piercing,  melting,  reproving,  winning  look  of 
Christ  cut  him  to  the  heart.  He  could  stand  it  no 
longer.  "He  went  out."  Shame  covered  him  like 
a  garment.  His  cowardice  amazed  him.  A  sense 
of  guilt  pierced  him.  His  soul  was  full  of  grief. 
He  was  now  drinking  wormwood  and  gall.  "He 
wept  bitterly."     How  gladly  would  he  have  undone 


178  THE    LIFE    AND    CHARACTER 

all  that  had  happened  the  last  few  hours.  He  had 
put  another  thorn  in  his  Master's  crown.  He  had 
wounded  him  in  the  house  of  his  friends.  His  sin 
was  very  great,  and  he  felt  it  to  be  so. 

It  is  thought  by  some  that  Peter  did  not  witness 
our  Saviour's  crucifixion,  but  that  he  was  alone  weep- 
ing in  secret  from  the  time  of  his  third  denial  during 
the  whole  of  that  and  the  next  day.  He  is  men- 
tioned no  more  till  the  morning  of  our  Lord's  resur- 
rection. He  and  John  came  running  to  the  sepul- 
chre. John  outran  Peter  and  first  reached  the 
sepulchre,  but  did  not  go  in  until  Peter  came  and 
went  in.  "Then  went  in  also  that  other  disciple, 
which  came  first  to  the  sepulchre,  and  he  saw,  and 
believed."  Worldly  sorrow  may  make  cowards; 
but  godly  sorrow  makes  heroes.  After  the  resur- 
rection Peter  was  more  courageous  than  John.  The 
same  day  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead  he  ap- 
peared to  Peter.  Some  days  after,  the  Lord 
appeared  to  several  of  his  disciples  on  the  sea  of 
Galilee.  John  said  to  Peter,  It  is  the  Lord.  Peter 
immediately  swam  to  shore.  The  others  followed 
in  their  vessels.  After  some  refreshments  Jesus 
introduced,  with  unspeakable  tenderness  and  fidelity, 
those  heart-searching  questions,  Lovest  thou  me 
more  than  these  ?  Lovest  thou  me  ?  Lovest  thou 
me  ?  to  all  of  which  Peter  answered  affirmatively, 
and  received  a  charge  to  feed  Christ's  sheep  and 
lambs.  On  the  same  clay  Christ  informed  Peter 
that  in  his  old  age  he  should  die  a  violent  death. 
This  was  Peter's  last  interview  with  Christ  until  the 
day  when  he  ascended  up  on  high.     Peter  witnessed 


OF  THE  APOSTLE  PETER.       179 

that  glorious  siglit,  and  received  the  explanation  of 
it  from  the  angels. 

Peter  continued  with  the  other  apostles  in  prayer 
till  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  on  that  day  he  preached 
with  great  boldness  and  success ;  some  days  after 
he  healed  the  impotent  man  at  the  temple.  He  and 
John  were  arrested,  brought  before  the  magistrates, 
and  charged  to  teach  no  more  in  the  name  of  Jesus ; 
but  they  boldly  said  that  they  would  obey  God 
rather  than  man.  We  next  hear  of  Peter  in 
the  case  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira.  Wonderful 
gifts  of  healing  were  long  granted  to  all  the  apos- 
tles. Even  the  shadow  of  Peter  falling  on  the  sick 
was  thought  to  be  efficacious.  Imprisonment  soon 
followed,  but  God  delivered  his  persecuted  ones, 
and  gave  them  boldness  to  declare  the  mystery  of 
God  and  of  Christ.  Soon  they  wrere  apprehended 
again,  and  received  every  man  forty  stripes  save 
one.     Persecution  is  an  old  trade. 

Peter  and  John  first  imparted  miraculous  gifts  to 
the  converts  at  Samaria.  Here  Peter  encountered 
and  dismayed  Simon  Magus.  He  now  began  to 
travel  much,  going  from  city  to  city.  At  Lydda  he 
cured  ^Eneas,  who  had  been  a  paralytic  eight  years. 
At  Joppa  he  raised  Tabitha  from  the  dead.  At 
Cesarea  of  Palestine  he  was  led  to  make  known 
the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  His  conduct  in  this 
matter  he  justified  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  brethren. 
This  is  supposed  to  have  been  about  eight  years  after 
our  Saviour's  ascension.  But  several  years  pre- 
vious to  this  it  is  thought  that  he  planted  the  church 
at  Antioch,  and  that  he  was  there  frequently  for 


180        LIFE    AND    CHARACTER    OF    PETER. 

some  years,  in  the  niean  time  visiting  Jerusalem, 
Bithynia,  Cappadocia  and  Pontus.  It  was  proba- 
bly during  tins  time  that  he  was  betrayed  into  that 
dissimulation,  which  was  at  once  so  contrary  to  his 
natural  character  and  the  whole  spirit  of  the  gospel. 
Eleven  years  after  Christ's  ascension  Peter  was 
again  imprisoned  at  Jerusalem  by  Herod  Agrippa ; 
but  God  sent  his  angel  and  delivered  him.  After 
this  we  know  nothing  certainly  of  him  until  the 
writing  of  his  first  epistle,  which  is  supposed  to  have 
been  about  the  year  48  or  50.  Soon  after  this  he 
attended  the  great  council  at  Jerusalem  A.  D.  51 
or  52.  Peter  fully  concurred  in  the  decrees  of  this 
venerable  Synod.  In  the  year  67  or  68  he  wrote 
his  second  epistle.  The  remainder  of  his  history  is 
veiled  in  much  uncertainty.  The  traditions  con- 
cerning him  are  many,  but  none  of  them  well  sup- 
ported except  that  he  was  crucified  at  the  age  of 
from  74  to  78  years,  and  went  to  his  Saviour.  He 
may  have  visited  Rome,  but  there  is  no  such  evi- 
dence in  support  of  that  opinion  as  that  Paul  was 
there,  no  such  evidence  as  to  justify  men  in  making 
it  an  article  of  faith,  as  some  would  do. 


LESSONS    FROM   FETER's    LIFE.  181 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

LESSONS  FROM  THE  LIFE  AND  FALL  OF   PETER. 

The  life  and  history  of  the  Apostle  Peter   teach 
many  lessons. 

i  One  is  the  great  value  of  the  doctrine  of  the  di- 
vinity of  Christ.  This  was  his  sheet-anchor.  Flesh 
and  hlood  did  not  reveal  it  to  him.  No  man  can 
call  Christ,  Lord,  except  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Long 
before  Christ's  crucifixion  Peter  twice  professed  his 
faith  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  son  of  the  living 
God.  •  He  was  no  humanitarian.  In  his  first  epis- 
tle his  great  theme  is  Christ,  his  blood  and  resurrec- 
tion, his  glory  and  appearance,  and  his  preciousnesa 
to  all  believers.  In  his  second  epistle  he  urges  the 
same  things,  and  predicts  the  character  of  the  men 
who  should  teach  contrary  doctrine :  "There  shall 
be  false  teachers  among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring 
in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that 
bought  them,  and  bring  upon  themselves  swift  de- 
struction. And  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious 
ways ;  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall 
be  evil  spoken  of.  And  through  covetousness 
shall  they  with  feigned  words  make  merchandise  of 
you."  (2  Pet.  ii :  1-3.)  The  last  words  of  this 
Epistle  are :   "Grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge 


182  LESSONS   FROM    THE    LIFE 

of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  To  him  be  glory  now 
and  forever.  Amen."  Christian  character  depends 
upon  our  receiving  Christ  and  resting  on  him,  as 
the  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  men. 

We  also  learn  that  we  must  not  put  implicit  reli- 
ance on  our  best  and  most  pious  friends.  They  may 
become  our  tempters.  Peter  loved  his  Lord,  and 
yet  he  tempted  him  to  shun  the  cross.  Abraham 
tempted  Sarah  to  prevaricate  and  she  was  led  away. 
Rebecca  successfully  tempted  Jacob  to  deceive  his 
father  and  supplant  his  brother.  He,  who  would 
have  a  good  conscience,  void  of  offence,  must  not 
commit  it  to  the  keeping  of  others.  To  a  wife  one 
may  be  compelled  to  say,  Thou  speakest  as  one  of 
the  silly  women  ;  and  to  a  bosom  friend,  Get  behind 
me,  Satan.  Speaking  of  an  evil  time;  Micah  says  : 
"  Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend,  put  ye  not  confidence  in  a 
guide :  keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth  from  her  that 
lieth  in  thy  bosom."  (Micah  vii :  5.)  "Keep  thy 
heart  with  all  diligence."     "  Cease  from  man." 

God  deals  variously  with  his  people  according  to 
their  evil  propensities,  which  he  would  correct,  and 
their  good  principles,  which  he  would  strengthen. 
"What  a  contrast  between  Peter  and  John.  The 
former  sailed  through  stormy  seas.  The  latter  had 
a  serene  sky  and  propitious  gales.  The  one  was  full 
of  impulse  and  emotion.  The  other  was  all  love 
and  gentleness.  If  God  deals  with  you  differently 
from  some  others,  it  is  because  there  is  a  need  be. 
John  did  not  require  the  rebukes  and  rebuffs  which 
were  necessary  for  Peter.  Peter  did  not  need  the 
gentleness   of  treatment   which  was    necessary  to 


AND    FALL    OF    PETER.  183 

inspire  John  with  great  boldness  and  confidence.  If 
an  experience  is  essentially  scriptural,  it  will  stand 
the  test,  though  vastly  diverse  from  that  of  many 
others.  All  the  children  in  the  same  family  are  not 
of  like  disposition,  and  will  not  bear  the  same  treat- 
ment. 

As  Christian  character  varies,  so  the  Lord  sees 
best  that  there  should  be  a  variety  in  the  talents  and 
manners  of  his  ministers.  They  have  gifts  differing 
one  from  another.  Among  the  early  preachers 
were  two  sons  of  thunder,  and  one  son  of  consolation. 
If  a  mild,  tender  preacher  is  very  useful  to  some, 
so  also  is  a  stern,  rousing  preacher  to  others.  It 
would  be  a  great  loss  to  the  cause  of  truth  to  have 
all  its  heralds  and  defenders  cast  into  the  same 
mould. 

The  history  of  Peter  shews  that  all  ministers  of 
Christ  are  not  called  to  that  work  when  young,  and 
free  from  the  cares  of  a  family.  Peter  seems  to 
have  been  fully  forty  years  old  before  he  was  even  a 
disciple  of  Christ.  He  then  had  also  the  cares  of  a 
family  upon  him.  Under  such  circumstances  many 
would  excuse  themselves.  But  Peter  did  no  such 
wicked  thing.  He  was  obedient  to  the  heavenly 
calling.  Ought  not  some,  who  are  now  immersed 
in  worldly  cares,  to  be  going  to  and  fro  preaching 
salvation?  It  is  not  credible  that  all,  who  have 
been  called  of  God  to  minister  before  him,  have 
obeyed  his  voice. 

Yet  old  as  Peter  was  he  studied  three  years  or  near 
that  time  under  him,  who  spake  as  never  man  spake, 
and  who  was  the  infallible  teacher.     Entering  the 


184  LESSONS    FROM    THE    LIFE 

ministry  late  in  life  is  no  excuse  for  slighting  prepara- 
tion for  its  duties.  It  was,  perhaps,  William  Tennent, 
who  said,  "If  one  must  enter  the  ministry,  and  "be- 
lieves he  has  but  three  years  to  live,  let  him  study  two 
of  them  and  preach  one."  When  we  speak  of  the 
mental  character  of  the  apostles  so  as  to  justify  ig- 
norance attempting  to  teach,  we  sadly  pervert  truth. 
They  were  illiterate  men,  when  Christ  called  them. 
Neither  did  they  frequent  the  schools  of  philosophy. 
But  they  learned  of  Christ,  and  were  moreover  en- 
dowed with  the  knowledge  of  many  languages  and 
with  many  miraculous  gifts. 

Nor  should  we  forget  that  the  best  ministers  are 
often  taken  from  the  humble  walks  of  life.  Peter 
and  several  other  apostles  were  fishermen  and  sailors. 
One  was  a  publican.  All  seem  to  have  been  of  a 
low  condition.  Strike  out  of  Church  History  the 
names  of  all,  whom  God  has  raised  from  the  dung- 
hill and  set  among  princes,  and  what  a  chasm  would 
be  made.  Beginning  with  Samuel,  rejecting  others 
of  the  prophets,  John  the  Baptist  and  the  apostles, 
and  casting  off  Banyan  and  many  others,  we  should 
see  a  hideous  chasm.  Such  men  are  often  more 
willing  to  bear  hardships  than  others,  but  the  rea- 
son, why  God  chooses  such,  is  that  he  delights  in 
staining  the  pride  of  all  glory.  Let  us  never  forget 
that  in  building  his  church  God  delights  to  employ 
the  plain,  the  lowly.  And  let  us  not  despise  poor 
and  pious  youth  seeking  the  ministry. 

When  Peter  was  called  to  follow  Christ,  he  was 
industriously  engaged  in  an  honest  calling,  the  work 
of  a  fisherman.     So  were  others.     Matthew  too  was 


AND    FALL    OF    PETER.  185 

collecting  taxes  when  lie  was  called.  Lazy  men 
put  many  hindrances  in  the  way  of  their  conversion 
and  subsequent  usefulness.  We  read  in  Scripture 
of  the  conversion  of  a  senator,  of  a  seller  of  purple, 
of  a  jailer,  of  a  thief,  of  a  persecutor  and  blasphe- 
mer. But  docs  any  inspired  historian  mention  the 
conversion  of  idlers?  Paul  addressed  a  crowd  of 
such  at  Athens  ;  but  not  one  of  them  seems  to  have 
been  converted,  though  "certain  men  clave  unto  him, 
and  believed  :  anions;  the  which  was  Dionysins  the 
Areopagite,  and  a  woman  named  Damaris,  and 
others  with  them."  (Actsxvii:  34.)  Idle  habits  are 
a  great  sin,  and  a  great  misery.  Inertness  of  mind 
is  a  great  hindrance  to  salvation.  Avoid  sloth.  It 
is  itself  a  vice  and  the  parent  of  many  others. 

We  may  learn  from  Peter's  example  the  great 
secret  of  improving  in  knowledge.  It  lies  in  a 
readiness  to  confess  our  ignorance,  and  to  learn  from 
those  who  are  able  to  teach  us.  If  Christ  said  any 
thing  which  Peter  did  not  understand,  he  asked 
him  in  private.  At  no  time  does  he  appear  to  havo 
tried  to  conceal  his  own  ignorance.  Even  in  his  old 
age  he  is  ready  to  admit  that  Paul  saw  some  things 
more  clearly  than  he  did  ;  for  he  says  that  "in  all 
Paul's  epistles  are  some  things  hard  to  be  under- 
stood." Had  he  been  a  self-conceited  man,  he 
would  never  have  written  that  sentence,  but  would 
have  professed  to  know  all  about  them.  John  Locke 
said  that  he  had  gained  his  knowledge  by  being 
always  willing  to  confess  his  ignorance.  It  is  a  great 
thing  to  know  our  own  deficiencies. 

Nor  is  it  so  bad  sometimes  to  err  in  honestly  trying 


186  LESSONS    FROM    TIIE    LIFE 

to  do  good,  as  never  to  attempt  to  do  good  for  fear 
of  committing  some  mistake.  It  is  better  to  be  re- 
proved for  erring  in  the  exercise  of  a  pure  zeal,  than 
it  is  to  have  no  zeal.  Imprudence  should  be  avoided, 
and  so  should  unbelief  and  lukewarmness.  An  hon- 
est-hearted blundering  man  is  a  far  safer  pattern  than 
a  cold,  cunning  calculator.  We  too  often  forget 
that  honest  mistakes  can  be  corrected ;  but  that  no 
outward  decency  is  a  substitute  for  living  fire  in  the 
soul.  To  prune  and  regulate  is  much  easier  than 
to  impart  qualities  and  supply  deficiencies.  "When 
men  are  afraid  of  nothing  but  imprudence  they  are 
in  danger  of  being  mere  drones. 

The  history  of  Peter  also  shews  us  how  weak  is  vir- 
tue in  the  best  of  men,  if  left  to  themselves.  With 
all  his  natural  firmness  and  all  his  gracious  disposi- 
tions, Peter  was  easily  led  astray.  No  power  of  rea- 
soning, no  regard  to  health,  or  interest,  or  character, 
no  vows,  no  promises,  no  oaths,  no  sense  of  shame, 
no  dread  of  death  or  hell,  no  ordinances,  no  warn- 
ings, nothing  can  hold  us  up,  when  we  are  strongly 
tempted,  if  God  forsake  us.  "I  have  seen  an  end 
of  all  perfection."  No  man  knows  what  he  will  do 
until  he  is  tried.  Hazael  felt  insulted  when  the  pro- 
phet foretold  his  cruelties  ;  but  he  committed  them 
every  one.  Peter  was  very  sure  he  would  never 
shew  any  want  of  love  to  Christ,  but  in  less  than 
twelve  hours  he  denied  him  with  oaths  and  curses. 

And  how  difficult  it  is  to  eradicate  constitutional, 
or  habitual  sins,  sins  which  are  rooted  in  our  na- 
tures, or  have  been  fostered  in  our  education.  What 
are  your  besetting  sins  ?     Find  them  out  and  slay 


AND    FALL    OF    PETER.  187 

tliem.  This  will  be  no  easy  work.  Peter  had  a 
natural  fault  of  character,  rashness.  He  seems 
hardly  to  have  been  cured  of  it.  His  cursing  and 
swearing  in  the  hall  of  the  high-priest  is  supposed 
to  have  been  a  return  upon  him  of  the  old  habits  of 
profaneness,  which  he  formed  when  a  sailor  on  the 
sea  of  Galilee.  "  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his 
skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?  then  may  ye  also  do 
good  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil."  (Jer.  xiii: 
23.)  If  you  would  avoid  dreadful  anguish,  mortify 
your  sins. 

We  see  too  in  how  undesirable  a  state  a  man  may 
go  to  the  Lord's  table.  Peter  was  there  but  a  few 
hours  before  his  great  sin.  His  heart  had  in  it 
much  pride,  ambition,  self-confidence  and  wrath. 
I3ut  he  seems  not  to  have  known  it.  So  good  men 
may  now  do  some  very  wrong  things,  and  right  things 
in  a  very  wrong  spirit,  even  in  the  midst  of  most  sol- 
emn acts  of  worship  and  devotion  to  Christ. 

And  how  soon  after  intimate  communion  with 
Christ,  one  may  dishonor  the  Saviour,  and  disgrace 
himself  and  his  profession.  Raptures  may  soon  be 
followed  by  shocking  iniquities.  Those,  who  be- 
lieve they  are  safe  because  they  have  been  at  the 
Lord's  table  and  been  much  affected  there,  should 
remember  Simon  Peter. 

How  much  do  those  err,  who  pronounce  one  a 
bad  man  for  one  offence,  though  it  be  flagrant.  Had 
Peter  lived  in  this  day  many  would  at  once  mark 
him  as  a  hypocrite.  A  minister  of  the  gospel,  who 
should  now  err  as  widely  as  Peter  did,  would  meet 
with  no  charity  from  some,  who  think  themselves 


188  LESSONS   i'ROM    THE   LIFE 

patterns,  and  trust  in  themselves  that  they  are  right- 
eous, and  despise  others.  No  evidence  of  repent- 
ance in  such  cases  will  satisfy  some  people.  How 
necessary  the  apostolic  injunction  at  all  times:  "If 
a  man  be  overtaken  in  fault,  ye,  which  are  spiritual, 
restore  such  an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness :  con- 
sidering thyself  lest  thou  also  be  tempted."  (Gal. 
vi:  1.)  The  general  tenor  of  a  man's  life,  and  not 
one,  two,  or  more  conspicuous  acts  must  determine 
his  character.  The  sun  often  has  spots  on  his 
disc;  yet  he  is  the  most  luminous  body  in  the 
heavens. 

But  if  erring  brethren  would  wish  the  same  kind- 
ness, shewn  to  them  when  they  sin,  which  was 
shewn  to  Peter  after  his  fall,  let  them  repent  as  he 
repented.  He  did  not  send  his  brethren  to  sum- 
mon witnesses  to  prove  his  sin.  He  did  not  quibble 
about  forms  of  doing  business.  He  did  not  deny 
his  sin.  He  did  not  attempt  to  excuse  it.  He  went 
out  and  wept  bitterly.  He  also  at  once  brought 
forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance.  True  repentance 
hates  and  turns  from  all  sin.  If  you  fall  into  sin, 
never  add  to  it  by  denying  it. 

How  idle  are  the  pretences  of  infallibility  of 
the  Pope  of  Rome,  when  Peter  who  is  claimed  as 
his  predecessor  often  erred,  even  after  he  was  made 
an  apostle.  Christ  said  to  him,  "Get  thee  behind 
me,"  "Put  up  thy  sword,"  &c;  and  Paul  "withstood 
him  to  the  face,  for  he  was  to  be  blamed."  Hardly 
any  good  man  has  left  behind  him  more  proofs  of 
liability  to  err  than  this  very  apostle.  Yet  the  popes 
claim  to  s;et  their  infallibility  through  him.  Could 
17 


AND   FALL    OF    PETER.  189' 

he  transmit  what  he  never  had,  never  claimed? 
Away  with  such  idle  dreams. 

Romanists  are  no  less  mistaken  in  another  mat- 
ter. They  loudly  assert  and  insist  upon  the  celib- 
acy of  their  pope,  cardinals,  archbishops,  bishops, 
priests  and  deacons.  Yet  Peter  had  a  wife.  Even 
after  Paul's  conversion  he  writes  of  this  matter : 
1  *  Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  a  sister,  a  wife, 
as  well  as  other  apostles,  and  as  the  brethren  of  the 
Lord,  and  Cephas?"     (1  Cor.  ix:  5.) 

The  history  of  Peter  instructs  ministers  to  be  full 
of  activity  in  their  Master's  work.  Whatever  his 
hand  found  to  do,  he  did  it  with  his  might.  He 
was  full  of  life.  He  seems  to  have  sought  no  rest. 
The  result  was  that  he  did  a  world  of  good.  He 
accomplished  wonders. 

We  also  see  in  the  case  of  Peter  the  steps  and 
evidences  of  such  a  decline  in  religion  as  may  end 
in  open  and  flagrant  sin.  The  first  sad  mark  is  car- 
nal security,  which  consists  in  a  vague,  blind  per- 
suasion, that  there  is  no  danger.  He  is  the  least 
safe,  who  is  the  most  secure.  He  is  in  the  greatest 
peril,  who  apprehends  the  least  danger.  "The 
weakest  spot  in  every  man  is  where  he  thinks  him- 
self the  wisest,"  or  the  strongest.  Peter  could  not 
be  persuaded  of  his  perils.  Whenever  men  cease 
to  watch  and  pray,  there  is  hourly  clanger  of  their 
plunging  into  open  and  dreadful  sins.  Temptations 
commonly  come  at  an  unexpected  hour,  and  from 
an  unexpected  quarter.  The  fiery  darts  are  shot  from 
an  invisible  bow.  The  very  next  hour's  neglect  of 
prayer  may  bring  dreadful  misery  to  the  soul  for  life. 


190  LESSONS   FROM   THE    LIFE 

Another  mark  of  approaching  disaster  is  a  vain 
persuasion  that  we  shall  be  able  to  triumph  over  the 
tempter,  if  he  should  assault  us.  In  his  blindness 
and  self-confidence  Peter  supposed  he  was  ready 
even  to  die  for  his  Lord.  Yet  the  first  assault  made 
him  drop  his  profession.  Many,  who  glory  much 
in  their  strength,  upon  trial  are  found  as  weak  as 
water.  Those,  who  regard  themselves  as  lion- 
hearted,  when  fairly  tested  are  found  to  be  chicken- 
hearted.  "He  that  trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a 
fool."  "Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man, 
and  maketh  flesh  his  arm."     (Jer.  xvii:  5.) 

The  next  step  towards  a  fall  is  spiritual  pride  and 
a  boasted  superiority  to  others.  Peter  said :  < '  Though 
all  men  shall  be  offended  yet  will  not  I."  When  he 
asserted  that  he  loved  Christ  more  than  others,  he 
was  in  extreme  peril.  When  Paul  said:  "lam 
less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,"  he  was  compara- 
tively safe.     "  With  the  lowly  is  wisdom." 

One,  who  has  gone  thus  far,  will  be  liable  to  dis- 
play heated  passion  and  blind  zeal  in  his  Master's 
cause.  Peter  was  for  resorting  to  the  sword.  He 
did  try  it. 

Next  we  see  Peter  following  Jesus  "afar  off." 
If  he  had  continued  Avith  his  Lord,  the  presence  of 
his  Master  might  have  sustained  him.  Do  you  fol- 
low the  Lord  fully  and  closely  ?  Have  you  daily 
communion  with  him  ? 

Peter's  next  step  was  the  choice  of  bad  company. 
He  was  with  the  soldiers  and  servants  and  wicked 
damsels  in  the  hall  of  Caiaphas.  He  had  no  busi- 
ness among  these  enemies  of  the  Lord,     What  sort 


AND    FALL    OF    PETER.  191 

of  company  do  you  keep  ?  Is  your  intercourse  with 
men  a  matter  of  conscience?  "He,  that  walketh 
with  wise  men,  shall  be  wise ;  but  the  companion 
of  fools  shall  be  destroyed."  Thus  his  fall  was 
brought  about.  He  went  step  by  step  towards  the 
precipice,  down  which  he  soon  fell  bruised  and 
mangled. 

But  true  believers  will  rise  after  a  fall.  "A  just 
man  falleth  seven  times,  and  riseth  up  again." 
(Pr.  xxiv:  16.)  Sin  falling  on  a  good  conscience, 
like  sand  in  a  good  eye,  will  cause  it  to  weep  and 
weep  and  weep  till  it  weep3  it  out,  ' '  Though 
a  good  man  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down : 
for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand...  The 
Lord  loveth  judgment,  and  forsaketh  not  his 
saints."  (Ps.  xxxvii :  24,28.)  "If  his  children 
forsake  my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments  ;  if 
they  break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  command- 
ments ;  then  will  I  visit  their  trangression  with  the 
rod,  and  their  iniquity  with  stripes.  Nevertheless, 
my  loving-kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him, 
nor  suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail."  (Ps.  lxxxix: 
30-33.)  For  a  time  real  grace  may  be  terribly 
obscured,  as  a  candle  may  be  put  under  a  bushel. 
There  may  be  wheat  under  a  great  pile  of  chaff. 
Judge  i:o  man.  He  that  judgeth  all  things  is  the 
Lord.  One  may  wander,  but  if  God  be  his  guide, 
he  will  restore  his  soul. 

The  means  of  Peter's  recovery  were,  first,  the 
crowing  of  the  cock.  God  can  make  use  of  any 
thing  he  chooses  to  impress  us  with  a  sense  of  our 
guilt.     The  second  means  used  was  Christ's  turning 


192  LESSONS   FR0M   THE    LIFE 

and  looking  on  Peter.  The  third  was  that  he  re- 
membered the  words,  that  Christ  had  so  recently 
spoken  to  him. 

The  steps  of  his  recovery  were  few  and  simple. 
The  first  was  reflection.  "He  thought  thereon." 
The  second  was  full,  clear,  spiritual  conviction.  The 
third  was  unfeigned,  ingenuous  sorrow.  '  '  He  wept 
bitterly." 

The  cause  of  his  recovery  was  the  same  that 
brings  any  sinner  to  repentance,  viz :  Christ's  inter- 
cession :  "And  the  Lord  said,  Simon,  Simon,  be- 
hold, Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may 
sift  you  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that 
thy  faith  fail  not :  and  when  thou  art  converted, 
strengthen  thy  brethren."     (Lukexxii:  31,32.) 

The  good  effects  of  the  discipline,  through  which 
God  led  Peter  in  connection  with  his  fall,  were 
many.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  so  administered 
that  even  the  sins  of  believers,  notwithstanding 
their  tendency  to  the  contrary,  are  made  to  promote 
their  sanetification.  Christ  said,  "When  thou  art 
converted  strengthen  thy  brethren,"  implying  that 
he  would  then  be  prepared  to  act  such  a  part.  In 
wrestling,  Homer  tells  us  Anteas  gained  strength  by 
every  fall  to  the  ground.  Peter's  fall  made  him 
humble.  We  do  not  hear  of  him  boasting  any 
more.  It  is  said  that  when  he  was  crucified,  it  was 
at  his  own  request  with  his  head  downwards,  as 
unworthy  to  be  honored  with  the  same  posture  as 
his  Lord.  When  he  wrote  his  first  epistle  he  said 
that  saints  "are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation."  (Chap,  i:  5.)  His  fall 
17* 


AND    FALL    OF    PETER.  VJ6 

seems  to  have  powerfully  counteracted  his  rashness. 
After  this  time  we  hear  but  once  of  his  being  in- 
volved in  trouble  on  that  account.    (Gal.  ii:  11-13.) 
He  also  seems  to  have  been  more  than  ever  a  man 
of   prayer.      Tradition   says,    that   every  morning 
about  cock-crow  he  used  to  rise  for  secret  devotion. 
Nor  was  his  penitence  without  increase.     It  is  said 
that  whenever  and   wherever  he   heard   the   cock 
crow,  the  tears  would  rise  in  his  eyes.     To  these 
virtues  he  added  gentleness.     After  his  recovery  he 
never  used  any  sword,  but  the  sword  of  the  Spirit. 
He  was  also  watchful.     With  what  earnestness  did 
he  write  to  his  friends:    "Be  sober,   be  vigilant; 
because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion, 
walketh   about,   seeking   whom   he   may   devour." 
(1  Pet.  v:  8.)     Peter's  fall  and  recovery  also  made 
him  truly  bold.     It  took  from  him  vain  confidence 
and  taught  him  to  make  his  boast  in  God.     True 
courage  is  modest,  but  fearless  when  walking  in  the 
path  of  duty.     In  the  very  city,  where  he  had  so 
recently  denied  his  Master,  Peter  fearlessly  preached 
Jesus.     Paul  calls  Peter   "a  pillar."     (Gal.  ii:  9.) 
And   he   was   greatly   beloved.     When    in  prison, 
"prayer  was  made  without  ceasing  of   the  church 
unto  God  for  him."      So  greatly  did  they  love  him 
and  desire  his  release.     And  Peter  learned  to  love 
even  those,  who  opposed  him.     Paul  reproved  him 
sharply,  yet  in  his  last  epistle  he  speaks  of  "our 
beloved  brother  Paul."     He  was  not  alienated  by 
fraternal  faithfulness.     Peter's  experience  about  th3 
time  of   the  crucifixion  seems  greatly  to  have  ad- 
vanced his  preparation   for  his   work.       "Before 


194  AND   FALL    OF   PETER. 

honoris  humility."  (Pr.  xv:  33.)  Peter  was  to 
be  a  great  and  successful  preacher,  both  among 
Jews  and  Gentiles.  In  a  mysterious  way  God  was 
teaching  him  wherein  his  great  strength  lay,  and 
making  him  wise  to  win  souls. 

Finally,  are  you  a  great  sinner?  So  was  Peter. 
Did  he  find  mercy?  So  may  you.  But  all  God's 
grace  to  sinners  is  treasured  up  in  Christ.  Come, 
0  come,  come  and  welcome  to  Jesus  Christ. 


NINE    QUESTIONS   AJ30UT   PLEASING.        195 


CHAPTER   XV. 

NINE   QUESTIONS   ABOUT    PLEASING. 

In  order  to  avoid  misunderstanding  of  the  mind 
of  the  Spirit  we  must  compare  spiritual  things  with 
spiritual,  learn  the  analogy  of  faith,  look  at  the 
grammatical  construction,  and  closely  examine  the 
context  of  any  portion  of  God's  word.  This  is  so 
on  almost  all  matters.  It  is  surely  so  in  reference  to 
pleasing  ourselves,  our  neighbour  and  our  God.  In 
each  of  the  following  verses  it  is  the  same  word  in 
the  Greek  Testament  that  is  rendered  please.  ' '  We 
then  that  are  strong  ought  not  to  please  ourselves. 
Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour  for  his 
good  to  edification.  For  even  Christ  pleased  not 
himself."  "I  please  all  men  in  all  things,  not 
seeking  mine  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of  many, 
that  they  may  be  saved."  "Do  I  seek  to  please 
men  ?  for  if  I  yet  pleased  men,  I  should  not  be  the 
servant  of  Christ."  "  So  we  speak  ;  not  as  pleas- 
ing men,  but  God  which  trieth  our  hearts."  "Ye 
have  received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  walk  and  to 
please  God."  (Rom.  xv:  1-3  ;  1  Cor.  x  :  33  ;  Gal. 
i:  10;  1  Thes.  ii :  4;  iv :  1.)  We  cannot  inter- 
pret these  verses  harmoniously  if  we  are  governed 
by  the  mere  sound  of  the  words.  Yet  then-  teach- 
ings do  not  conflict.     It  will  aid  us  to  understand 


196        NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING. 

these  and  like  passages  to  consider  distinctly  these 
questions : 

I.     HOW   FAR   MAY   WE   PLEASE   OURSELVES? 
II.     HOW  FAR  MUST  WE  DENY  OURSELVES  ? 

III.    Why  should  we  deny  and  not  please  our- 
selves ? 

iv.    how  far  may  we  please  our  fellow-men  ? 
V.    When  must  we  be  willing  to  incur  their 

DISPLEASURE  ? 

VI.    Why    should    we   lightly    esteem    the 

SMILES  AND  THE  FROWNS  OF   MEN  ? 

VII.     HOW  FAR  ARE   WE   TO    GO  IN    PLEASING  GOD  ? 
VIII.     IS    IT   RIGHT  EVER   TO    DISPLEASE  HIM  ? 

IX.    Why  should  we  please  him  ?  : 

To  make  these  several  points  clear  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  be  tedious  ;  yet  they  may  best  be  con- 
sidered separately.    Let  us  take  tiiem  up  in  order. 

I.     HOW     FAR    MAY    WE    PLEASE    OURSELVES  ? — The 

answer  is  that  we  may  humbly,  thankfully  and  joy- 
fully acknowledge  and  use  all  that  we  are  and  all 
that  we  have ;  that  we  may  enjoy  the  health,  the 
food,  the  friends  and  other  favors  bestowed  upon  us 
by  providence  ;  that  we  may  use  all  God's  creatures 
as  not  abusing  them ;  that  we  may  love  and  cherish 
our  whole  nature  ;  that  we  must  not  dishonor  or  tor- 
ture our  bodies  ;  that  we  must  not  neglect  the  culti- 
vation of  our  minds,  and  the  improvement  of  our 
hearts ;  and  that  in  general  we  may  seek  our  own 
good  in  all  ways,  not  forbidden  in  Scripture,  care- 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING.        107 

fully  preferring  the  spiritual  to  the  carnal,  the  eter- 
nal to  the  temporal.  In  all  these  ways  and  to  this 
extent  we  may  please  ourselves.  We  are  not  bound 
to  try  to  make  ourselves  miserable.  God  has  freely 
given  us  all  good  things  richly  to  enjoy  them.  ITe 
is  no  hard  master.  Freely  and  abundantly  have  we 
received  of  his  bounties.  He  has  provided  of  his 
goodness  for  the  poor.  Let  them  thankfully  receive 
and  temperately  enjoy  all  his  blessings. 

II.  How  far  must  WE  deny  ourselves  ? — The  an- 
swer is,  We  must  refuse  and  forsake  all  those  ways, 
and  thoughts,  and  plans,  and  practices,  and  gains, 
and  intimacies,  which  hinder  the  growth  of  the  soul 
in  saving  knowledge  and  true  holiness.  We  must  so 
far  deny  our  own  intellectual  powers,  as  not  to  re- 
gard them  infallible,  or  even  safe  without  divine 
guidance.  "  Lean  not  unto  thine  own  understand- 
ing." (Prov.  iii :  5.)  "  Be  not  wise  in  thine  own 
eyes."  (Prov.  iii:  7.)  "Let  not  the  wise  man 
glory  in  his  wisdom."  (Jer.  ix :  23.)  Men  must 
learn  to  submit  their  understandings  to  the  teach- 
ings of  God's  word,  and  Spirit,  and  providence ; 
else  they  cannot  be  saved.  We  must  not  set  up  our 
wills  against  the  will  of  God.  We  must  learn  to 
say,  "  Thy  will,  not  mine,  be  done,  0  God." 
"Father,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  If  wo 
cannot  heartily  desire  to  say  thus,  we  have  no  piety. 
If  we  cannot  say  thus  decidedly  and  habitually,  we 
have  very  little  religion.  We  must  not  pamper  our 
natural  appetites  and  the  members  of  our  bodies, 
but  restrain  them  lest  they  gain  a  mastery  over  us. 


198        NINE    QUESTIONS   ABOUT   PLEASING. 

We  must  not  yield  them  instruments  of  unright- 
eousness unto  sin.  We  must  guard  all  affections,  as 
love  and  aversion,  joy  and  grief,  hope  and  fear,  lest 
they  become  excessive.  (Ezek.  xxiii:  11.)  We 
must  mortify  our  affections.  We  must  keep  our 
body  (our  whole  nature)  under.  We  must  renounce 
self-righteousness  and  confess  that  we  have  no 
merits.  Our  righteousnesses  are  filthy  rags,  and  we 
ought  to  think  and  feel  and  say  so,  Self-flattery  is 
as  dangerous  as  it  is  sinful.  Self-sufficiency  is  ruin- 
ous. We  must  deny  ourselves  all  gains,  all  honors, 
all  pleasures,  known  or  suspected  to  be  sinful.  We 
must  give  up  even  lawful  things,  when  we  see  that 
our  indulgence  will  mislead  others.  We  must  be 
pure.  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord. 
We  must  not  count  our  lives  worth  holding  at  the 
cost  of  a  good  conscience.  It  was  the  devil,  who 
said,  ' '  All  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his  life. " 
That  is  true  of  men  who  are  the  children  of  the 
Wicked  One.  It  is  not  true  of  real  Christians. 
They  are  animated  by  principle.  Their  love  is 
stronger  than  the  fear  of  Death.  They  know  it  is 
not  wicked  to  suffer ;  but  they  cannot  consent  to 
sin. 

III.  Why  should  we  thus  deny  and  not  please 
ourselves  ? — The  reasons  are  many  and  strong.  Let 
lis  consider  a  few  of  them. 

We  should  imitate  Christ,  who  "  pleased  not  him- 
self." Let  us  be  like  him.  Oh  that  we  had  his 
image.  He  pleased  the  Father  which  sent  him. 
He  emptied  himself  and  became  of  no  reputation. 


NINE    QUESTIONS   ABOUT   PLEASING.        199 

And  he  said :  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
me." 

Self-denial  is  the  road  to  honor,  glory  and  immor- 
tality, and  pleasing  self  is  the  road  to  ruin.  ' '  "Who- 
soever will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  whosoever 
will  lose  his  life  for  Christ's  sake  shall  find  it."  All 
great  characters  are  formed  in  the  school  of  self- 
control.  All  holy  characters  are  formed  in  the 
school  of  self-denial. 

By  divine  grace  the  exercises  of  self-denial  are 
healthy  and  pleasant  to  the  soul.  As  in  our  animal 
nature  the  arts  of  self-indulgence  and  effeminacy  do 
in  the  end  make  us  miserable,  while  manly  exercise 
promotes  health  and  vigor ;  so  is  it  with  our  souls. 

IV.  HOW  FAR  MAY  WE  PLEASE  OUR  FELLOW- 
MEN  ?^-We  may  and  we  must  honor,  obey,  and  so 
endeavor  to  please  our  civil  rulers,  our  parents,  our 
teachers,  our  masters,  all  who  have  lawful  authority 
over  us.  This  should  be  done  from  religious  motives, 
cheerfully,  universally,  embracing  all  their  lawful 
commands. 

We  may  and  we  must  be  courteous,  gentle,  con- 
descending, obliging,  giving  no  needless  offence,  so 
that  our  neighbour,  if  well  disposed,  may  find  it 
easy  to  love  us,  easy  to  lay  aside  his  prejudices  against 
us,  so  that  he  may  be  willing  to  listen  to  our  warn- 
ings and  entreaties,  so  that  we  may  by  God's  favour 
do  him  good  and  save  him  from  sin  and  folly,  and 
thus  show  true  Christian  charity,  meekness,  humility, 
and  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  and  avoid 


200       NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING. 

harshness,  moroseness,  surliness  and  unamiahleness 
of  character. 

The  general  rule  is  that  we  are  to  love  our  fellow- 
men  as  ourselves,  and  to  do  to  them  as  we  would 
they  should  do  to  us ;  hut  in  case  of  a  doubt  we 
are  to  give  our  neighbour  the  benefit  of  the  doubt, 
while  in  matters  of  civility  and  honor  we  are  to  pre- 
fer others  to  ourselves. 

We  may  not  and  we  must  not  envy  the  good  qual- 
ities and  fine  endowments  of  others,  but  acknowledge 
them  on  fit  occasions,  and  rejoice  in  them.  Not  to 
own  and  be  glad  of  them  is  both  a  weakness  and  a 
wickedness.  It  is  both  foolish  and  sinful  in  us  to 
prefer  our  own  ignorance  to  the  sound  learning  of 
others,  or  to  despise  the  cause  or  the  faculties  of 
one,  who  is  not  eloquent  in  his  own  defence. 

We  may  and  we  must  honor  and  meekly  receive 
the  counsels,  reproofs,  admonitions  and  encourage- 
ments of  those,  who  watch  for  our  souls  and 
seek  our  good. 

We  may  and  we  must  so  far  respect  all  classes  of 
men,  as  to  do  all  we  can  by  integrity  and  Christian 
behaviour  to  maintain  our  own  good  name,  and  to 
deserve  the  esteem  of  all  right-minded  persons. 

V.  When  must  wte  be  willing  to  incur  the  dis- 
pleasure OF  MEN  ? 

The  answer  is,  When  men  will  be  offended  with  us, 
tmlei  s  we  sin  against  God,  brea^his  commandments, 
and  d  file  our  consciences.  "If  doing  our  duty 
will  displease  men,  let  them  be  displeased.',  If  danc- 
ing before  the  ark  is  an  olience  to  Michal,  Davi  i  must 
18 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT    PLEASING.        201 

dance  on.  If  preaching  Christ  crucified  brings  down 
the  wrath  of  persecuting  Jews,  the  apostles  must  not 
desist  from  their  work.  If  Nebuchadnezzar  requires 
those  young  men  to  bow  to  the  image  he  has  set  up, 
or  to  go  into*  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  they  must 
go  into  the  furnace.  It  is  wicked  to  burn  a  man  to 
death  for  conscience  sake  ;  but  it  is  not  wicked  to 
be  burned  to  death  for  conscience  sake. 

The  reasons  why  we  must  displease  men  rather 
than  sin  against  God  are  such  as  these : 

He  is  God.  He  is  the  great  and  the  terrible  God. 
Having  killed  the  body,  he  can  destroy  both  soul 
and  body  in  hell.  He  claims  and  he  deserves  our 
prompt,  cheerful,  universal  obedience. 

Sin  is  the  only  intolerable  evil  in  the  world.  Men 
have  exulted  and  triumphed  over  confiscation,  expa- 
triation, prisons,  racks,  tortures,  flames  and  gibbets. 
But  a  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear  ?  A  soul,  stung 
with  sin,  has  a  living  death.  The  wail  of  the 
damned  is  from  no  other  source.  "When  all  is  well 
internally,  all  is  well  eternally. 

VI.  Why  should  we  lightly  esteem  the  smiles 
and  the  frowns  of  men  ? — Why  should  we  not  be 
careful  to  please  men  ? 

Because : 

Men  are  but  worms.  They  are  crushed  before 
the  moth.  Their  wrath  is  but  impotent  rage,  until 
God  shall  choose  to  lengthen  their  chain  and  give 
them  permission.  Man  is  puny,  not  puissant.  Man 
is  frail  and  fickle.  Man  is  a  fool,  until  God  gives 
him  wisdom.     Man  is  lighter  than  vanity.     All  men 


202       NINE    QUESTIONS   ABOUT   PLEASING. 

are  liars  till  God  gives  thern  the  love  of  the  truth. 
Man  is  brutish  in  his  knowledge,  violent  in  his  pre- 
judices, fierce  in  his  passions,  blind  in  his  self-inter- 
est, slanderous  in  his  speech,  a  hater  of  all  goodness 
until  he  is  taught  from  heaven.  Why  should  you 
either  court  or  fear  one,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nos- 
trils ?  Dread  and  trust  are  alike  misplaced  when 
man  is  their  object. 

The  ungodly  world  has  always  misjudged  the  best 
living  men  of  each  successive  generation.  Which 
of  the  prophets  did  they  not  kill  ?  Which  of  the 
apostles  did  they  not  hunt  and  hound  ?  Did  they 
not  kill  the  Son  of  God  himself  ?  Ought  we  to  ex- 
pect better  treatment  than  these?  "  Therefore,  if 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  righteousness,  we  are 
accounted  as  the  scorn  and  offscouring  of  all  things, 
and  as  pestilent  fellows,  and  movers  of  sedition 
among  the  people,  and  such  as  are  unworthy  to  live, 
and  have  all  manner  of  evil  spoken  against  us  false- 
ly, it  must  not  seem  strange  or  unexpected  to  us,  nor 
cast  us  down,  but  we  must  bear  it  patiently,  yea,  and 
exceedingly  rejoice  in  hope  of  our  reward  in  hea- 
ven. A  Christian  must  not  expect  to  please  men. 
He  must  not  be  disappointed,  therefore,  if  he  does 
not.  *  *  A  professing  Christian  should  be 
alarmed  when  the  world  flatters  and  caresses  him. " 
He  should  suspect  that  either  his  life  is  not  right,  or 
that  men  are  spreading  a  snare  for  his  feet.  The 
world  is  in  no  better  humour  with  holiness  than  it 
was  formerly.  Kest  assured  of  that.  Blessed  is 
he,  who  has  grace  to  take  joyfully  the  spoiling  of 
his  goods,  who  esteems  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING.        203 

riches  than  the  treasures  of  earth,  and  who  glories  in 
death  for  Jesus'  sake.  When  the  jailer's  wife  said 
to  John  Bradford  :  "  0  Mr.  Bradford  !  I  bring  you 
heavy  tidings  :  to-morrow  you  must  be  burned,  and 
your  chain  is  now  buying,"  he  put  off  his  hat,  and 
said  :  "Lord,  I  thank  thee;  I  have  looked  for  this 
a  great  while,  it  is  not  terrible  to  me  ;  God  make  me 
worthy  of  such  a  mercy." 

All  human  opinions,  judgments  and  decisions 
must  and  shall  be  revised  by  the  infallible  Judge, 
and,  if  erroneous,  reversed.  Up  to  this  time  men 
have  condemned  more  innocent  men  than  guilty, 
more  saints  than  felons.  So  that  we  may  and  often 
must  say  with  Paul:  "With  me  it  is  a  small  mat- 
ter to  be  judged  of  your,  or  of  man's  judgment; 
I  have  one  that  judgeth  me,  even  the  Lord."  On 
this  passage  Calvin  has  this  note:  "We  must  give 
an  account  of  our  doctrine  to  all  men  that  require 
it,  especially  to  ministers  and  councils :  but  when  a 
faithful  pastor  finds  himself  oppressed  with  unright- 
eous and  perverse  designs  (iniquis  et  perversis  stu- 
diis)  and  that  there  is  no  place  for  equity  and  truth, 
he  ought  to  be  careless  of  man's  esteem  (humanse 
existimationis  securus)  and  to  appeal  to  God  and 
fly  to  his  tribunal  (Deum  appellare  et  ad  ejus  tribu- 
nas  confugere  debet)."  "It  is  our  duty,"  says  Bax- 
ter, "to  love  and  honor,  but  not  to  be  loved  and 
honored."  The  more  Paul  loved  some,  the  less 
was  he  loved  of  them.  (2  Cor.  xii:  15.)  But 
that  was  not  his  faiiit,  though  it  was  his  affliction . 

Another  reason,  why  we  should  not  be  careful 
about  the  smiles  and  frowns  of  unrenewed  men,  is 


204       NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT    PLEASING. 

that  they  are  the  children  of  the  devil,  and  his 
works  will  they  do.  They  think,  and  feel,  and  act 
like  the  wicked  one.  To  please  them  is  to  please 
Satan.  To  displease  them  is  to  offend  the  adver- 
sary of  God  and  man.  J3e  not  in  bondage  to  Apol- 
lyon  or  any  of  his  minions  and  myrmidons. 

It  ought  to  make  us  desist  from  trying  to  please 
the  world  that  those,  who  have  tried  hardest  have 
most  signally  failed,  or  have  most  deplored  their 
folly,  when  they  found  the  issue.  History  is  filled 
with  such  instances.  In  pleasing  some,  we  are  sure 
to  displease  others.  What  pleases  a  bad  or  a  weak 
man  to-day  may  displease  him  to-morrow. 

Even  good  men  are  diverse  from  each  other  in  a 
thousand  matters  of  taste,  habits  and  manners.  It 
is  impossible  even  to  please  all  good  men.  Some  good 
men  are  great  cowards ;  some  are  very  moody ; 
some  are  very  far  from  walking  tenderly ;  some  are 
very  weak ;  and  some  are  very  ignorant.  How  can 
you  please  such  by  doing  right  ?  And  if  you  could 
please  them,  you  would  be  but  pleasing  poor  sinful 
worms. 

VII.     HOW  FAR  ARE  WE  TO  GO  IN  PLEASING  GOD  ? 

The  answer  is,  We  are  to  go  all  lengths,  and  run 
all  risks,  and  suffer  all  things,  and  endure  all  things, 
and,  if  need  be,  sacrifice  all  things  for  him.  We 
are  to  hate  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  chil- 
dren, and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea  and  our  own 
life  also,  in  comparison  of  him.  (Luke  xiv :  26.) 
If  we  must  defile  our  consciences  by  sinning  against 
God,  or  give   up  all   earthly  friends,  and  .kindred, 


18 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT    PLEASING.        205 

and  blessings,  we  may  not,  we  must  not  hesitate  to 
make  God  our  exceeding  joy  and  let  the  rest  go. 
Yes,  we  must  sacrifice  all  things.  Of  course  I 
except  honor,  I  mean  honest  principle.  0  no !  God 
never  asks  us  to  do  a  mean  thing.  Nor  are  we  ever 
to  sacrifice  conscience.  He  holds  that  sacred;  and 
he  would  have  us  hold  it  sacred  also.  Men  show 
that  their  damnation  is  both  just  and  sure  when 
they  do  evil  that  good  may  come.  It  is  frightful  to 
serve  God  with  our  iniquities.     (Isa.  xliii :  24.) 

VIII.  IS     IT    RIGHT     EVER     TO    DISPLEASE    GOD  ? 

No  never  !  never  !  NEVEK  !  We  cannot  displease 
him  but  by  sinning  against  him.  And  sin  is  always 
abominable.  Chrysostom  :  "  There  is  in  human 
affairs  nothing  that  is  truly  terrific  but  sin.  In  all 
things  else,  in  poverty,  in  sickness,  in  disgrace,  and 
in  death,  (which  is  held  to  be  the  greatest  of  evils) 
there  is  nothing  that  is  really  dreadful.  With  the 
wise  man  they  are  all  empty  names.  But  to  offend 
God,  to  do  what  he  disapproves,  this  is  real  evil." 
If  we  may  displease  God  once,  we  may  do  it  as  long 
and  as  often  as  we  please.  One  theft  makes  a  man 
a  thief ;  one  wilful,  malicious  homicide  makes  a 
man  a  murderer,  and  one  sin  makes  a  man  a  sinner; 
and  the  "  wages  of  sin  is  death."  "If  one  man 
sin  against  another,  the  judge  shall  judge  him  :  but 
if  a  man  sin  against  the  Lord,  who  shall  entreat  for 
him?"     (1  Sam.  2:  25.) 

IX.  Why  should  wte  please  god  ? — Because  : 
lie  is  God.     lie  only  is  God.     He  is  God  alone. 

L 


206       NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING. 

There  is  none  with  him,  none  "beside  him,  none  like 
him.  He  is  over  all  God  blessed  for  ever.  None 
else  deserves  religious  worship  or  religious  service, 
supreme  homage  and  supreme  obedience.  He  de- 
serves the  highest  service  of  angels  and  men,  be- 
cause he  is  God. 

If  we  can  so  act  that  "whether  living  or  dying 
we  may  be  accepted  of  him,"  all  shall  be  wTell.  His 
smile  is  life.  His  frown  is  death.  If  he  approves, 
all  the  world  cannot  put  us  in  the  wrong.  If  he 
condemns,  all  the  world  cannot  set  us  right. 
Learned,  judicious  and  pious  men  have  often  ap- 
proved whom  the  Lord  condemned,  and  rejected 
whom  the  Lord  received.  God  is  our  Master.  To 
him  we  stand  or  fall. 

God  is  our  Creator  and  Preserver.  Shall  we  not 
seek  to  serve  and  please  him  ?  How  monstrous  that 
the  thing  formed  should  hesitate  to  obey  him  that 
formed  it!  How  reasonable  that,  being  fed  and 
tenderly  cared  for  all  our  days  by  the  Lord,  we 
should  honestly  and  supremely  try  to  please  him. 

He  is  Judge.  He  is  Judge  of  all.  His  arbitra- 
ments are  final,  his  decisions  irreversible.  God 
never  calls  a  good  man  or  a  good  cause  bad,  nor  the 
reverse.  He  is  evil  whom  Gods  calls  evil.  He  is  a 
fool  whom  God  calls  a  fool.  He  is  wise,  whom 
God  instructs.  He  is  happy  whom  God  pronounces 
blessed.  It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  judged  of  the 
Lord.  God  is  not  and  cannot  be  pledged  to  make 
good  any  thing  spoken  by  the  wicked  against  the 
righteous  ;  but  he  will  make  good  every  word  he 
has  spoken  in  their  favor.     Here  truth  is  often  out- 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT    PLEASING.         207 

faced  and  overborne  by  numbers,  by  clamor,  by 
cunning,  by  force.  But  God's  judgment  will  make 
all  right.  The  last  day  will  clear  up  a  thousand 
things  involved  in  darkness  here. 

What  God  says,  he  will  stick  to  and  execute.  He 
is  never  influenced  by  clamor  or  the  popular  voice. 
Here  the  wicked  are  often  set  on  high ;  and  even 
after  death  great  honors  are  often  paid  them.  But 
"a  great  name  on  earth,  or  histories  written  in  their 
favor,  or  a  gilded  monument  over  their  bones,  are  a 
poor  relief  to  damned  souls." 

Consider  too  that  God  is  a  good  Master.  He 
never  makes  unreasonable  demands.  He  is  never 
capricious.  He  asks  no  more  than  is  his  due.  It  is 
possible  to  please  him.  All  the  humble,  contrite, 
believing  people  of  God  do  please  him.  He  accepts 
service  according  to  what  a  man  hath,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  what  he  hath  not.     Blessed  be  his  name. 

EEMARKS. 

1.  Are  we  then  pleasing  God?  This  is  a  great 
question.  Let  us  test  ourselves  by  safe  and  strict 
rules.  No  man  is  pleasing  God  further  than  the 
tenor  of  Scripture  applied  to  his  case  evinces. 
The  tenor  of  Scripture  is  its  general  scope.  This 
condemns  some  outright.  Others  it  at  once  acquits. 
But  others  are  of  doubtful  character.  They  have 
some  show  of  piety,  some  exercises  of  mind  resemb- 
ling Christian  experience ;  but  the  scope  of  the 
Bible  is  against  them.     How  is  it  with  you  ? 

No  man  pleases  God  any  more  than  he  evinces  by 


208        NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT    PLEASING. 

his  habitual  speech.  "  By  thy  words  thou  shalt  he 
justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned." 
He  that  flatters,  backbites,  reviles,  spreads  scandal,  or 
delights  in  foolish  talking  and  jesting,  is  not  pleasing 
God.  But  he  who  blesses  and  curses  not,  who  keeps 
his  lips  from  falsehood  and  deceit  and  vanity  and 
malice,  and  trains  it  to  love  and  truth  and  praise, 
is  surely  pleasing  God. 

Nor  do  any  of  us  please  God  beyond  what  is 
evinced  by  our  spirit  of  devotion.  If  we  have  no 
habits  of  devotion,  we  have  no  piety.  If  we  have 
mere  fits  of  praying  and  confessing  sin,  and  yet  do 
not  always  call  upon  God,  our  closets  are  witnesses 
against  us.  All,  who  are  pleasing  God,  evince  it 
by  their  serious  study  of  God's  word,  their  hearty 
prayers  and  praises,  their  honest  self-examinations, 
and  devout  meditations. 

Nor  do  we  please  God  beyond  what  is  proven  by 
our  common  practice.  All  true  religion  is  practical. 
A  hypocrite  can  hear  God's  words;  but  to  hear 
them  and  do  them  shows  one  to  be  a  child  of  God. 
What  is  your  life?  All  of  life  is  a  test.  Every 
thing  tries  us.  What  does  your  life  say  ?  It  was 
Judas'  habit  to  fail  as  often  as  fairly  tried.  It  was 
not  Peter's  habit  to  deny  Christ. 

Does  conscience  say  you  are  pleasing  God?  No 
man  is  better  than  a  good  conscience  says  he  is ; 
though  many  are  worse  than  their  evil  consciences 
declare  them  to  be.  "If  our  heart  condemn  us, 
God  is  greater  than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all 
things." 

Nor  are  we  pleasing  God  further  than  we  are  in 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING.        209 

heart  conformed  to  the  moral  law.  "What  does  the 
law  say  of  you  ?  "What  do  you  say  of  it  ?  "  Love 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."     Do  you  love? 

Nor  does  any  man  please  God  further  than  he  is 
like  God.  God  is  just.  Are  you  unjust?  God  is 
true.  Are  you  deceitful  ?  God  abhors  cruelty. 
Do  you  delight  in  mercy  ?  God  is  long-suffering. 
Are  you  impatient  towards  enemies  ? 

Nor  do  we  please  God  further  than  as  we  are  like 
Christ  and  imitate  him.  He  was  meek  and  lowly. 
Are  you  proud  and  haughty  ?  He  forgave  his  ene- 
mies. Are  you  malignant  or  spiteful  ?  He  loved 
good  men.  Do  you  esteem  the  pious  as  the  excel- 
lent of  the  earth?  He  never  needlessly  hurt  any 
man's  feelings,  and  yet  he  never  concealed-  a  whole- 
some truth.  Are  you  like  him  ?  Do  you  desire  to 
be  more  like  him  ? 

No  man  pleases  God  except  as  he  is  wrought  upon 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  regeneration,  and  in  sanctifi- 
cation.  Has  the  Holy  Ghost  ever  wrought  effectu- 
ally in  you  ?  Were  you  ever  born  again  ?  Were 
you  ever  soundly  converted  ?  Is  your  sanctification 
progressing  ?     Do  you  know  what  sanctification  is  ? 

Try  yourself,  prove  yourself,  and  find  out  what 
manner  of  spirit  you  are  of.  Self-deception  is  always 
more  or  less  wilful.  Of  course  it  is  wicked.  It  is 
also  foolish.  It  is  always  dangerous.  It  is  many 
times  fatal.  "Be  not  deceived."  "Know  ye  not 
that  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates  ?"  If 
you  do  not  please  God,  you  are  yet  in  your  sins. 

2.  If  you  are  pleasing  God,  take  the  comfort  of  it, 
rejoice  in  the  grace  that  enables  you  so  to  walk,  and 


210       NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING. 

lay  fast  hold  on  the  promises  of  God  made  to  all 
such.     Hear  a  few  of  them  : 

The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath 
are  the  everlasting  arms. 

The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy 
coming  in,  from  this  time  forth,  and  even  for  ever- 
more. 

When  the  poor  and  needy  seek  water,  and  there 
is  none,  and  their  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  the 
Lord  will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel  will  not 
forsake  them. 

I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and 
floods  upon  the  dry  ground ;  I  will  pour  my  Spirit 
upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring. 

When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be 
with  thee;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee  :  when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire, 
thou  shalt  not  be  burned  ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee. 

To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the 
tree  ot  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God.  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the 
second  death.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him  a  white 
stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth  it.  To 
him  that  overcometh,  I  will  give  the  morning  star. 
He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in 
white  raiment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out 
of  the  book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess  his  name  be- 
fore my  Father,  and  before  his  angels.  Him  that 
overcometh,  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of 


NINE    QUESTIONS    ABOUT   PLEASING.        211 

my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out.  To  him  that 
overcometh,  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne. 
He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things  ;  and  I 
will  he  his  God,  and  he  shall  he  my  son. 

3.  How  precious  is  redemption  and  how  neeessary 
is  a  simple  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  "We  must  receive 
Christ  as  little  children.  For  this  there  is  no  sub- 
stitute. In  his  last  hours,  Bishop  Butler  was  in 
darkness.  One  said  to  him  :  "  Jesus  is  able  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 
"I  never  understood  that  verse  before,"  said  he,  as 
by  those  words  the  blessed  Spirit  lifted  the  clouds 
from  his  mind,  and  the  light  of  heaven  broke  in 
on  his  soul. 

Dying,  John  Foster  said:  "If  that  great  cause 
of  faith  and  hope,  the  all-sufficient  merits  and  atone- 
ment of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  were  taken  away,  I 
should  have  nothing  left."  John  Selden  was  a  most 
erudite  Englishman,  possessed  much  antiquarian, 
historical  and  legal  knowledge ;  was  master  of  many 
languages,  and  author  of  works  which  have  tilled 
Europe  with  his  fame,  and  was  possessed  of  a  library 
of  eight  thousand  volumes.  When  he  lay  dying,  he 
said  to  Archbishop  Usher  :  "I  have  surveyed  most 
of  the  learning  that  is  among  the  sons  of  men,  and 
my  study  is  filled  with  books  and  manuscripts  on 
various  subjects ;  but  at  present  I  cannot  recollect 
any  passage  out  of  all  my  books  and  papers  whereon 
I  can  rest  my  soul  save  this  from  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures :  <  The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation 
hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that,  denying 
ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 


212       NINE    QUESTIONS   ABOUT   PLEASING. 

righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world  ;  looking 
for  that  blessed  hope  and  the  glorious  appearing  of 
the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who 
gave  himself  for  us  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple zealous  of  good  works."  The  most  gigantic  in- 
tellects have  never  found  any  way  to  peace  but  by  the 
cross  of  Christ.  There  is  no  other.  There  is  no 
need  of  another  way.  This  is  the  true  way,  the 
living  way,  the  only  way.  ' '  The  star  which  stands 
over  the  holy  Infant  at  Bethlehem  has  no  fellow  in 
the  firmament."  Oh  that  you  would  believe  in 
Jesus  ?  Oh  that  you  would  cast  yourself  at  his 
feet  now.  Tarry  not.  Delay  not.  "When  his 
storm  is  in  its  fury,  it  may  be  too  late  to  drop 
the  anchor."     Now  is  your  time. 


19 


HOW  TO  MAKE  GREAT  ATTAINMENTS.  213 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

HOW  god's  people  may  make  great  attainments. 

Professors  of  religion  may  be  divided  into  three 
classes.  First,  there  are  those  of  whom  charity 
dares  not  hope  that  they  are  passed  from  death  unto 
life.  They  are  carnal,  careless,  covetous.  They 
are  manifestly  just  such  as  they  were  before  they 
joined  the  church.  In  them  no  change  of  life  ap- 
pears to  prove  a  change  of  heart.  They  are  much 
like  their  other  worldly  neighbours,  except  that 
they  go  to  the  Lord's  table.  They  add  no  strength 
to  the  cause  of  truth.  They  are  spots  in  Christian 
feasts.  They  are  a  grief  and  a  shame  to  godly  peo- 
ple. The  church  has  their  names,  but  the  world 
has  their  hearts.  The  number  of  such  is  painfully 
large. 

A  second  class  consists  of  those,  who  sometimes 
seem  quite  changed.  Once  in  a  while  their  faith 
and  love  and  zeal  appear  to  be  unfeigned,  and  their 
humility  profound.  But  their  course  is  not  uniform. 
At  times  they  are  like  sky-rockets  for  brilliancy; 
but  soon  they  lose  their  effulgence,  and  all  you  find 
left  is  a  dirty  stick.  They  have  great  defects  and 
are  also  guilty  of  some  excesses.  The  best  Chris- 
tians have  not  confidence  in  them,  not  because  they 


214  how  god's  people  may 

love  to  indulge  suspicion,  but  because  they  cannot 
help  it.  Paul  said  to  some:  " I  stand  in  doubt  of 
you."  (Gal.  iv:  26.)  It  is  a  sad  thing  when  the 
conduct  of  professors  of  piety  keeps  their  brethren 
in  a  state  of  alternate  fear  and  hope,  distrust  and 
confidence.  If  they  either  fully  and  heartily  con- 
demn or  confide  in  such,  they  fear  that  they  are 
doing  wrong.  This  class  of  church  members  at 
one  time  seems  to  be  quite  under  the  power  of  evil, 
and  then  quite  penitent.  There  is  perhaps  not  much 
very  decidedly  against  them,  but  there  is  nothing 
very  decidedly  in  their  favour.  They  are  always 
falling  and  yet  seeming  to  recover  themselves. 
They  sin  and  seem  to  repent,  and  yet  seem  not  to 
have  thoroughly  repented,  for  they  soon  sin  again. 
Their  number  is  considerable.  Some,  perhaps  more 
of  them  than  is  generally  hoped  for,  will  be  saved ; 
but  many  of  them  will  no  doubt  perish.  Those  of 
them,  who  shall  reach  heaven,  will  be  saved  as  by 
fire.  They  will  suffer  great  loss  too,  for  their  works 
shall  be  generally  burnt  up,  because  they  are  wood, 
hay,  and  stubble.  What  a  blessing  it  is  that  the 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his,  and  can  find  a 
grain  of  wheat  in  a  bushel  of  chaff.  Those  of 
them,  who  are  not  saved,  will  perish  very  fearfully, 
for  they  had  many  convictions,  made  many  vows, 
lived  in  the  enjoyment  of  many  privileges,  and  yet 
all  to  no  purpose. 

The  third  class  of  professors  consists  of  those, 
whose  profession  is  attended  by  fervent  love,  deep 
humility,  Christian  firmness,  a  well-tempered  zeal, 
attachment  to  the  whole  law  of  God,  and  a  habitual 


MAKE    GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  215 

renunciation  of  the  world,  as  a  portion.  Such  have 
trials,  days  of  darkness,  and  doubts,  which  lead 
them  to  cry  mightily  to  God.  At  times  perhaps 
thev  suffer  even  keen  anguish.  But  no  charitable 
person,  who  knows  them,  seriously  doubts  where 
their  hearts  are.  They  do  not  turn  back — they  do 
not  look  back.  They  are  reliable  people.  They 
maintain  regular  secret  devotion,  and  consequently 
they  exhibit  a  devout  temper  in  society.  Their 
brethren  trust  them,  and  are  never  disappointed.  In 
their  presence  even  wicked  men  feel  "how  awful 
goodness  is,"  and  often  cerse  to  lay  snares  for  them, 
for  they  see  that  their  minds  are  made  up.  They 
lose  little  time  in  debating  idle  questions.  They  do 
not  by  a  doubtful  course  of  life  create  distressing 
questions  of  casuistry.  Their  rule  is  to  keep  themselves 
as  far  as  possible  from  all  sin.  They  seldom  dally 
with  temptation.  If  they  are  overcome,  it  is  only 
to  rise  with  new  strength  after  every  fall.  There 
is  a  sweet  savor  of  piety  about  them.  Their  man- 
ners are  perhaps  very  various,  some  being  polished 
and  bland,  or  affable  and  free ;  others  being  awk- 
ward and  uncouth,  or  quiet  and  retiring.  But  they 
uniformly  shew  a  tenderness  of  conscience,  an  up- 
rightness of  intention,  a  zeal  for  God  and  a  love  to 
his  people,  which  cannot  be  mistaken.  They  use 
the  world  as  not  abusing  it.  They  live  not  after  the 
flesh.  They  live  unto  God  and  they  will  die  unto 
God.  They  do  not  overact  their  part.  They  are 
zealous,  but  not  officious,  prudent  but  not  cowardly, 
decided  but  not  obstinate.  They  greatly  love  the 
truth.     It  is  their  food.     They  hate  every  false  way 


216  how  god's  people  may 

and  all  lying  words.  But  they  do  not  make  a  man 
an  offender  for  a  word.  They  are  modest  but  not 
mean.  They  are  often  cast  down  but  not  in  despair. 
Their  humility,  like  the  ample  folds  of  a  large  cloak, 
covers  even  their  good  works  from  the  gaze  of  many, 
and  especially  from  their  own  eyes.  They  say  but 
little  to  their  own  praise,  because  they  do  not  think 
well  of  themselves.  They  put  themselves  among 
the  least  of  all  saints,  yea  among  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners. With  pleasure  they  acknowledge  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  their  brethren.  They  often  feel  re- 
proved by  what  they  esteem  the  superior  attainments 
of  others.  They  never  think  themselves  eminent 
Christians.  Thev  forget  the  things  that  are  behind 
and  press  forward  to  learn  and  to  do  more  and  bet- 
ter than  ever  before.  They  hate  and  resist  vain 
thoughts.  They  are  ashamed  of  their  many  failures. 
They  grow.  They  first  cast  their  roots  downwards, 
then  they  bear  fruit  upwards.  They  not  only  begin 
but  they  continue  to  live  by  the  doctrine  of  salva- 
tion by  grace  alone.  Their  fruit  remaineth  in  them 
because  they  abide  in  Christ.  He  is  their  life  and 
all  their  salvation.  They  glory  in  his  cross.  They 
glory  in  nothing  else.  Having  begun  in  the  Spirit 
they  end  in  the  Spirit  also. 

They  may  not  be  able  to  reason  with  subtle  error- 
ists,  but  neither  are  they  led  astray  by  them.  They 
know  that  all  doctrine,  which  pufts  up  the  carnal 
mind,  which  gives  low  views  of  sin,  which  detracts 
from  the  glory  of  Christ,  which  gives  iniquity  an 
advantage  over  us,  must  be  unsound.  They,  there- 
fore, wisely  eschew  it.  They  have  learned  the  clif- 
19* 


MAKE    GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  217 

ference  between  truth  and  error  chiefly,  perhaps,  by 
means  of  that  spiritual  discernment,  taste,  and  ex- 
perience, of  which  they  are  possessed.  Though 
they  may  not  be  skillful  in  argument,  they  arc  wise 
unto  salvation.  As  the  children  of  wisdom,  they 
always  justify  her.  Every  one  of  them  is  at  heart 
a  martyr,  and,  under  a  fair  trial,  would  be  fouud 
unto  praise  and  honor  and  glory.  Through  educa- 
tion, or  church  relations,  they  may  have  imbibed 
some  narrow  views,  but  they  are  not  at  heart  bigots. 
And  it  is  delightful  to  see  their  pure  love  like  a 
flowing  stream,  rising  above  all  obstructions,  and 
pouring  forth  its  warm  sympathies  on  all,  who  love 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whatever  be  their  name  or 
nation,  color  or  condition. 

The  prosperity  of  Christ's  kingdom  lies  near  their 
hearts.  They  are  often  filled  with  sadness  at  the 
abounding  of  sin ;  but  they  rejoice  at  the  progress  of 
truth  and  righteousness.  The  state  of  the  uncon- 
verted  and  perishing  millions  of  men  deeply  affects 
them.  The  low  state  of  piety  in  the  church  makes 
them  mourn  and  weep  and  pray.  Yet  the  joy  of 
the  Lord  is  their  strength.  They  rejoice  in  tribula- 
tion. They  are  useful  and  pray  and  study  to  be 
more  and  more  so.  Their  example  is  a  sermon, 
which  no  man  can  answer.  By  well-doing  they  put 
to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  They  are 
not  aware  of  half  the  good  they  are  doing. 

As  they  advance  in  life  a  delightful  mellowness 
of  character  is  more  and  more  perceptible.  They 
may  seem  to  shrink  away  from  the  public  gaze  and 
from  public  duties,  but  it  is  not  because  they  are 


218  how  god's  people    may 

soured  with  the  world,  nor  because  they  have  any 
haughty,  or  embittered  feelings.  They  have  learned 
in  honor  to  prefer  one  another.  They  love  to  be 
alone  with  God.  Their  meditation  of  him  is  sweet. 
They  think  of  him  in  the  night  watches.  They  rest 
in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him. 

Some  such  eminent  servants  of  God  finish  their 
course  early  in  life.  Their  sun  rises  and  shines  in 
his  strength,  but  goes  down  before  it  is  noon.  What 
a  blessing  such  persons  are.  Those,  who  know  and 
love  them,  cherish  their  memories  with  extreme  ten- 
derness. Their  removal  from  earth  is  one  of  the 
things,  which  makes  good  men  willing  to  be  absent 
from  the  body  and  present  with  the  Lord. 

Others  live  longer  and  die  at  a  time  when  we 
would  expect  them  to  be  most  useful.  Such  were 
Halyburton,  and  Brainerd,  and  Martyn,  and  Pay- 
son,  and  Kevins,  and  thousands,  whose  record  is  on 
high.  Their  death  makes  sad  all  their  pious  friends ; 
but  it  is  hallowed.  Had  they  lived  longer,  many 
might  have  leaned  on  them,  or  the  church  might 
have  felt  less  her  need  of  ascension  gifts  from  Christ 
her  Lord.  Their  work  was  done,  and  their  Master 
called  them  to  fill  a  higher  sphere  of  usefulness,  and 
honor,  and  felicity.  And  when  he  called  them, 
good  men  both  wept  and  rejoiced. 

Some  of  the  eminently  pious  are  spared  to  old 
age.  Then,  like  shocks  of  corn  fully  ripe,  they  are 
gathered  into  the  garner  of  the  Lord.  Their  last 
days  are  to  the  body  full  of  pain  and  weakness,  but 
to  the  soul  full  of  peace.  Their  hoary  head  is  a 
crown  of  glory,  because  it  is  found  in  the  way  of 


MAKE    GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  219 

righteousness.  No  man  can  read  the  memoirs  of 
John  Newton,  Thomas  Scott,  John  Brown  of  Had- 
dington, and  many  others,  without  seeing  something 
desirable  in  the  heritage  of  the  saints  even  in  old 
age.  Balaam  said:  "Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his." 

All  of  this  class  of  persons  enjoy  religion.  It 
is  their  meat  and  drink.  They  have  bread  to  eat 
which  the  world  knows  not  of.  The  secret  of  the 
Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and  he  shows 
them  his  covenant.  He  is  their  portion.  They  are 
not  driven  out  of  the  world,  but  willingly  leave  it. 
"They  rest  from  their  labours,  and  their  works  do 
follow  them."  No  sorrowing  friend  is  sunk  to  the 
earth  for  fear  that  they  are  not  saved.  In  the  next 
world  they  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever. 

The  well-spring  and  fountain  of  all  these  attain- 
ments must  be  sought  in  God,  and  in  God  alone. 
He  says:  "From  me  is  thy  fruit  found."  "God 
is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you ;  that 
ye,  always  having  all  sufficiency  in  all  things,  may 
abound  to  every  good  work."  And  God  is  a  Sov- 
ereign, dividing  his  gifts  severally  as  he  will.  His 
grace  is  as  free  and  unmerited  as  it  is  great  and 
glorious. 

Yet  God  commonly  makes  his  grace  abound  the 
most  where  his  people  most  diligently  use  the  proper 
means.  Spiritual  sloth  is  worse  than  natural.  We 
must  be  up  and  doing.  Words  are  cheapo  We 
have  in  the  church  "many  walking  and  talking 
skeletons."  They  are  not  fat  and  flourishing.  They 
are  sometimes  loud  and  noisy  professors,  yet  none 


220  how  god's  people   may 

but  themselves  think  well  of  their  case.  They  may 
talk  of  zeal  and  love,  yet  they  never  are  much. 
But  others  are  like  cedars  in  Lebanon.  They  are 
strong  men  in  Christ  Jesus.  They  are  pillars  in 
the  church.  How  did  they  become  so  ?  The  an- 
swer is,  God  made  all  grace  abound  to  them,  and 
so  they  abound  to  every  good  work.  But  how  wa3 
his  abundant  grace  bestowed  on  them  ?  This  is  a 
grave  question,  and  deserves  a  grave  answer.  No 
man  has  ever  become  eminent  for  piety  but  in  the 
humble  use  of  proper  means.  The  Holy  Spirit  is 
the  sole  efficient  cause  of  holiness.  "We  may  use 
all  the  means  and  be  no  better,  v.nl  3ss  he  bless  them 
to  us.  But  then  he  always  sends  a  rich  blessing  on 
all,  who  rightly  wait  upon  the  Lord  in  the  ways  of 
his  appointment. 

It  has  been  said  that  some  Christians,  as  some 
infants,  are  born  with  much  more  vigor,  and  seem 
to  grow  much  more  rapidly  than  others  at  the  first. 
This  is  true.  But  did  you  never  see  such  after  a 
while  become  sickly?  And  have  you  not  seen 
those,  who  seemed  feeble  at  first,  become  strong  and 
mighty?  A  healthy  child  may  be  so  injured  by  the 
treatment  it  receives  as  never  to  make  a  strong  man. 
The  proper  means  must  be  used,  and  the  divine 
blessing  be  secured  on  those  means.  What  then 
must  be  done  ? 

1.  It  is  essential  to  the  Christian's  improvement 
that  he  maintain  tenderness  of  conscience.  A  scru- 
pulous conscience  is  like  a  diseased  eye,  which 
weeps  at  the  light,  or  at  nothing.  But  a  tender 
conscience  is  like  a  sound  eye,  which  weeps  when 


MAKE    GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  221 

a  mote  is  in  it.  It  is  called  in  Scripture  "a  con- 
science void  of  offence  towards  God  and  man." 
We  have  many  pleasing  examples  of  such  a  con- 
science. Take  one.  In  the  midst  of  battle  David 
became  weary  and  thirsty.  In  that  hour  he  thought, 
as  men  are  apt  to  do,  of  the  water,  which  he  drank 
in  his  childhood  and  youth.  And  he  said :  "  0  that 
one  would  give  me  to  drink  of  the  water  of  the  well 
of  Bethlehem."  And  three  mighty  men  broke 
through  the  enemy's  line,  and  drew  water  out  of 
the  well,  and  brought  it  to  David;  nevertheless  he 
would  not  drink  thereof,  but  poured  it  out  unto  the 
Lord.  And  he  said:  "Be  it  far  from  me,  0  Lord, 
that  I  should  do  this :  is  not  this  the  blood  of  the 
men,  that  went  in  jeopardy  of  their  lives?  There- 
fore he  would  not  drink  it."  This  was  indeed  a 
tender  conscience,  lie  knew  that  it  was  lawful  to 
drink  water.  lie  knew  that  it  would  please  his 
faithful  men  for  him  to  drink  this  water.  But  then 
it  had  cost  too  much.  It  had  been  procured  at  the 
hazard  of  life.  So  he  made  it  a  thank-offering  to 
God,  who  had  mercifully,  and,  perhaps,  miracu- 
lously preserved  alive  those  intrepid  men,  who  had 
perilled  their  lives  for  the  comfort  of  their  com- 
mander. Go  thou  and  do  likewise.  Keep  a  tender 
conscience  at  all  costs  and  at  all  hazards.  Put  not 
wicked  gains  into  your  pocket,  nor  lay  them  up  for 
your  children.  In  the  end  they  will  bring  a  curse 
on  all  coucerned.  Give  no  quarters  to  sin.  Parley 
not  with  temptation.  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle 
not  any  evil  thing,  any  doubtful  thing.  Defile 
not   your   soul   with  courses,   the  right  of    which 


222  how  god's  people   may 

you  even    suspect.     It  is    extremely    perilous  to 
do  so. 

;  2.  Be  a  diligent  student  of  God's  word,  of  God's 
whole  word.  Despise  no  portion  of  it.  Its  prom- 
ises encourage.  Its  threatenings  warn.  Its  precepts 
direct.  Its  histories  teach  by  example.  Its  songs 
cheer.  Its  doctrines  edify.  Its  prophecies  prove  its 
divinity.  Not  only  read  but  hear  the  word  of  God, 
as  it  is  the  word  of  God.  Beware  of  that  bane  of 
profitable  hearing,  a  critical  spirit.  A  display  of 
your  critical  powers  may  please  your  vanity,  but 
will  never  bring  you  on  your  journey  heavenward. 
Dr.  Owen  says  of  some  :  "They  are  ready  to  think 
and  say,  that  the  preaching  and  religious  exercises, 
which  they  had  in  former  days,  were  far  to  be  pre- 
ferred above  what  they  now  enjoy  ;  and  they  despise 
the  ministers  of  the  present  age  in  comparison  of 
their  fathers.  But  the  change  is  in  themselves. 
They  have  lost  their  spiritual  appetite.  Being  grown 
full  of  themselves  and  conceited  of  their  own  abili- 
ties, they  have  not  that  taste  and  relish  for  the  word, 
which  they  had  formerly  ;  and  this  is  both  the  cause 
and  the  evidence  of  the  decay  of  all  their  other 
graces."  Any  one,  who  has  formed  the  habits  of  a 
severe,  not  to  say  capricious  critic  of  preaching,  is 
greatly  to  be  pitied.  Even  faultless  preaching  would 
but  strengthen  such  a  habit.  Beware  of  it.  Ear- 
nestly cry  to  God  for  that  faith,  which  must  be 
mixed  with  the  word  read  or  preached,  that  you  may 
profit  withal.  "  As  new-born  babes  desire  the  sin- 
cere milk  of  the  word  that  ye  may  grow  thereby." 
It  is  in  this  way  that  "the  righteous  shall  flourish 


MAKE     GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  223 

like  the  palm-tree,  and  grow  like  a  cedar  of  Leba- 
non. Those,  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God.  They 
shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they  shall 
be  fat  and  flourishing ;  to  shew  that  the  Lord  is 
upright :  he  is  their  rock,  and  there  is  no  unright- 
eousness in  him." 

8.  Would  you  attain  eminence  in  piety  \  You 
must  also  be  a  companion  of  all  them,  who  fear  the 
Lord,  and  especially  of  such  as  have  knowledge  and 
experience  in  religion  superior  to  your  own.  "He 
that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise. "  The  pres- 
ence of  such  is  no  mean  preservative  against  sin  and 
no  feeble  stimulant  to  good.  It  is  a  great  thing  to 
have  before  us  the  words  and  example  of  one,  who 
is  a  burning  and  a  shining  light.  Great  men  often 
appear  in  clusters,  as  in  the  days  of  Augustus,  of 
Cromwell,  of  Queen  Ann,  and  of  George  the  Third. 
The  same  is  true  of  pious  men.  Eminent  goodness 
is  seldom  attained  by  one  man  alone.  It  needs  a 
Peter  to  strengthen  his  brethren,  a  John  to  set  a 
high  example  of  love,  a  Paul  to  bring  out  in  their 
connection  the  truths  of  Scripture,  and  these  all 
taught  from  above,  and  giving  us  high  examples  of 
virtue.  Many  a  man  has  been  vastly  benefitted  by 
spending  even  an  hour  with  an  eminent  servant  of 
Christ. 

4.  If  you  would  attain  eminent  piety,  study  and 
labor  to  do  good,  as  you  have  opportunity  to  all 
men.  "He  that  watereth  shall  be  watered."  The 
widow's  oil  increased  only  so  long  as  she  continued 
pouring   out.     He,  whose  world  is   himself,    must 


224  how  god's  people  may 

have  both  narrow  views  and  contracted  feelings. 
The  very  spirit  of  piety  is  benevolent.  Our  Saviour 
went  about  doing  good.  Nor  did  he  tire  at  his 
work.  Even  when  wearied  with  his  journey  he  sat 
at  Jacob's  well,  he  would  not  fail  to  do  good  to  the 
Samaritan  woman.  But  beware  of  Jehu's  vanity, 
and  of  what  is  akin  to  it,  an  angry  spirit.  Be 
grieved,  but  not  offended,  if  sinners  will  not  turn  to 
God.  Be  not  bitter  against  them.  You  ought  to 
bear  with  the  wicked  as  Ions:  as  God  doe3.  "Be 
patient  toward  all  men."  Quarrel  not  with  them. 
Tbey  will  be  glad  to  have  their  controversy  with 
God  brought  down  to  a  contest  with  you.  If  they 
revile  you,  do  you  bless  them.  Expect  not  to  be 
useful,  but  at  a  cost  of  feeling,  ease,  or  money. 
Try  every  way  that  is  lawful  and  wise.  Encourage 
and  aid  those  who  shew  any  desire  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come.  Do  all  you  can  and  in  as  private 
and  modest  a  way  as  possible.  Sow  not  sparingly. 
If  men  were  but  governed  by  an  enlightened  self-love, 
they  would  hardly  be  as  penurious  as  they  often  are. 
"  So  quickly  has  the  wheel  turned  round,  that  many 
a  man  has  lived  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  that  charity, 
which  his  own  piety  projected  and  consummated." 
In  the  very  exercise  of  benevolence  there  is  a  bless- 
ing, which  is  worth  far  more  than  all  it  costs.  The 
joy  ol  doing  good  is  one  of  the  purest  and  most 
pleasing  of  all  our  affections.  To  do  good  from 
pure  love  is  to  be  like  God.  But  watch  providence. 
To  run  uncalled  and  not  to  run  when  called  are  two 
things  more  nearly  allied  in  temper  and  in  guilt 
than  is  commonly  supposed.  Dr.  Pavson  says  : 
20 


MAKE    GREAT    ATTAINMENTS.  225 

"What  God  calls  a  man  to  do,  He  will  carry  him 
through.  I  would  undertake  to  govern  half  a 
dozen  worlds  if  God  called  me  to  do  it,  but  I  would 
not  undertake  to  govern  half  a  dozen  sheep  unless 
God  called  me  to  it."  And  keep  in  your  own  sphere. 
"As  a  bird  that  wandereth  from  her  nest,  so  is  a 
man  that  wandereth  from  his  place."  When  Nero 
entered  the  lists  to  write  poetry  in  competition  with 
Lucan  he  was  ridiculous  and  his  life  was  embittered. 
When  Henry  the  Eighth  undertook  to  confute  Luther, 
he  burnt  his  fingers,  and  the  reforming  monk  laughed 
him  to  scorn.  Let  no  man,  in  doing  good,  under- 
take what  he  cannot  do  well.  The  frogs  may  swell 
themselves  till  they  burst,  but  they  will  never  be 
oxen.  And  let  not  the  oxen  try  to  become  little  as 
frogs.  It  is  no  glory  to  a  king,  a  senator,  or  a  min- 
ister of  Christ  to  excel  in  fiddling  or  in  jesting.  It 
is  well  to  know  what  you  can  do,  and  what  it  befits 
you  to  do.  When  Cyrus  of  Persia  and  Jackson  of 
America  did  the  duties  of  a  private  soldier,  it  was 
to  animate  their  troops  by  example.  What  is  your 
proper  place  in  the  church  of  God,  and  in  all  labors 
of  love?  Find  it  out.  Never  leave  it.  Many  a 
useful  and  honorable  teacher  of  a  Sabbath  School 
loses  all  his  influence  by  attempting  to  preach.  Many 
souls  may  be  won  to  Christ  by  an  humble,  laborious 
colporteur,  who  would  be  a  burden  to  the  church  if 
he  attempted  some  higher  calling.  "  Earnestly 
covet  the  best  gifts  ;"  but  give  not  your  great  work 
for  something  above  you  or  beneath  you.  There 
should  be  a  place  for  every  church-member,  and 
every  church-member  should  be  in  his  place. 


226  how  god's   people  may 

5.  If  you  would  advance  rapidly  in  divine  attain- 
ments, you  must  be  serious.  Moroseness  is  a  sin 
and  melancholy  is  no  friend  to  piety.  But  serious- 
ness is  essential  to  great  success  in  any  thing,  and 
especially  in  religion.  -  In  the  days  of  Elizabeth 
flourished  that  great  statesman,  Walsingham.  In 
old  age  he  retired  into  private  life.  Some,  who 
relished  merriment,  visited  him  and  rallied  him  on 
what  they  called  his  melancholy.  He  replied  :  *  *  I 
am  not  melancholy  ;  I  am  serious  ;  and  it  is  fit  I 
should  be  so.  Ah  my  friends,  while  we  laugh,  all 
things  are  serious  about  us.  God  is  serious,  who 
exerciseth  patience  towards  us ;  Christ  is  serious, 
who  shed  his  blood  for  us  ;  the  Holy  Spirit  is  serious 
in  striving  against  the  obstinacy  of  our  hearts  ;  the 
Holy  Scriptures  bring  to  our  ears  the  most  serious 
things  in  the  world  ;  the  holy  sacraments  represent 
to  us  the  most  serious  and  awful  things  ;  the  whole 
creation  is  serious  in  serving  God  and  us  ;  all  that 
are  in  heaven  and  hell  are  serious,  and  shall  not  I 
be  serious  too  ?"  A  mind,  soured  with  the  world, 
though  it  may  be  more  unamiable  and  tormenting, 
is  hardly  a  greater  enemy  to  piety  than  is  levity. 

6.  When  you  have  done  all  these  things,  and 
whatever  else  seems  called  for,  cast  yourself  entirely 
and  constantly  upon  the  Almighty  Father  for  strength ; 
upon  Jesus  Christ  for  mercy,  for  atonement,  for 
righteousness  and  for  all-prevailing  intercession ;  and 
upon  the  blessed  Holy  Spirit  for  illumination,  guid- 
ance, purity  and  abundance  of  inwrought  grace.  Do 
this  at  all  times,  praying  with  all  prayer.  "Whoever 
at  any  time  has  gone  to  heaven  has  climbed  up 


MAKE     GREAT   ATTAINMENTS.  227 

thither  on  his  knees.  Nothing  can  be  a  substitute 
for  a  devotional  spirit.  They  may,  and  I  suppose 
they  do  live  in  heaven  without  what  we  call  prayer 
on  earth.  But  on  earth  prayer  is  our  vital  breath. 
Without  it  we  die. 

Whoever  doeth  these  things  shall  never  fall,  nor 
shall  he  be  barren,  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  shall  make  his  call- 
ling  and  election  sure  ;  and  so  an  entrance  shall  be 
ministered  unto  him  abundantly  into  the  everlasting 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 


228  THE   PRIVILEGES   OF   BELIEVERS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  PRIVILEGES  OF  BELIEVERS. 

Christians  have  made  a  wise  choice.  They  have 
cause  to  lament  their  folly  in  so  long  refusing  God's 
grace,  and  in  having  served  Christ  with  so  little  zeal. 
But  no  wisdom  is  comparable  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
just.  The  main-spring  of  piety  is  love  to  God,  to 
his  Son,  to  his  law,  and  to  his  service.  This  affec- 
tion is  not  impaired,  but  strengthened  by  learning 
that  the  service  of  God  is  accompanied  by  amazing 
benefits  and  privileges.  Should  it  be  discovered 
that  a  life  of  piety  had  no  higher  blessings  attending 
it  than  those  which  belong  to  a  life  of  sin,  there 
would  certainly  be  great  sadness  among  the  friends 
of  God ;  and  his  enemies  would  shout  aloud  for  joy. 
The  privileges  of  believers  relate  both  to  the  pre- 
sent and  to  the  future. 

The  first  great  blessing  conferred  on  believers  is 
the  remission  of  all  their  sins.  In  the  103d  Psalm 
David  puts  this  as  the  first  of  the  benefits  he  re- 
ceived. He  was  right.  Health  is  not  so  valuable. 
Life  is  not  so  great  a  boon.  When  God  forgives, 
he  forgives  all  our  iniquities.  One  unpardoned  sin 
would  as  surely  sink  a  soul,  as  one  leak  will  sink  a 
ship.  Sin  is  like  fire,  of  which  a  spark,  no  less 
than  a  shovel  full  of  coals,  will  blow  up  a  magazine. 
20* 


THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS.  229 

One  murder  brings  death  as  surely  as  twenty.  The 
great  defect  of  all  systems  of  false  religion  is  that 
none  of  them  make  any  adequate  provision  to  satisfy 
divine  justice,  or  meet  the  demands  of  an  enlight- 
ened conscience.  The  poor  blinded  devotee  offers 
his  prayers,  and  sacrifices,  and  comes  away  with  all 
his  guilt  upon  him.  He  mortifies  his  body  by  acts 
of  voluntary  humility,  and  goes  into  eternity  wish- 
ing he  had  done  more,  or  hoping  that  others  will 
pray  him  out  of  torment.  Nothing  speaks  peace 
but  the  blood  of  Jesus.  That  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.  So  that  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  who 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  handwriting,  which  was 
against  them,  is  all  blotted  out. 

And  God's  people  are  not  only  forgiven  ;  they 
are  also  taken  into  favor.  By  faith  they  lay  hold  of 
the  merits  of  Christ,  and,  for  his  sake,  God  regards 
and  treats  them  as  righteous.  Being  found  in  him, 
and  not  having  their  own  righteousness,  which  is  of 
the  law,  but  the  righteousness,  which  is  of  God  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  not  found  naked. 
Through  the  merits  of  Christ  they  have  a  right  to 
the  tree  of  life.  Angels  in  robes  of  innocence  have 
not  so  glorious  an  apparel  as  believers  have  in  that 
linen,  white  and  clean,  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
saints.  How  can  men  expect  to  stand  before  God, 
except  with  confusion  and  shame,  unless  they  are 
partakers  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  ?  In  reli- 
gious experience  it  would  be  no  worse,  it  would  pro- 
duce no  more  distress  to  give  up  all  confidence  in  the 
divine  faithfulness,  than  to  let  go  all  hold  on  the  in- 
finite and  all-perfect  righteousness  of  the  Kedeemer. 


230  THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS. 

The   truth   of  this   remark  is   amply  sustained  by 
Scripture,  and  by  the  testimony  of  God's  children. 

God's  people  are  also  made  personally  holy.  Their 
sanctification  is  begun  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  regene- 
ration, and  by  the  same  blessed  agent  is  carried  on 
to  perfection.  In  justification  we  are  declared  right- 
eous in  law  ;  in  sactification  we  are  made  righteous 
in  fact.  In  the  former  righteousness  is  imputed ; 
in  the  latter  it  is  imparted.  Christ  will  present  all 
his  people  before  God  without  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or 
blemish,  or  any  such  thing.  By  his  Spirit  he  makes 
the  King's  daughter  all  glorious  within.  The  beauty 
of  holiness  shall  be  illustrious  in  all  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord.  "Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy,  saith 
the  Lord."  He,  who  has  begun  the  work  of  faith, 
will  complete  it  with  power.  He  i3  able,  he  is  will- 
ing, he  is  determined  to  do  it.  He  has  set  his  heart 
upon  it.  "  This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanc- 
tification." 

These  blessings  are  a  beginning,  and  but  a  begin- 
ning of  what  God  does  for  his  people.  Having  done 
thus  much,  he  is  thereby  graciously  pledged  to  do 
more.  And  so  he  opens  the  store-house  of  his 
grace  and  bestows  those  precious  benefits,  peace  of 
conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  growth  in  grace, 
a  blessed  hope  of  eternal  rest,  power  to  resist  temp- 
tation and  strength  to  hold  on  their  way  and  be 
faithful  unto  death.  Even  the  ills  of  life  are  made 
the  means  of  lasting  good  to  them.  The  thorn  in 
Paul's  flesh  kept  him  from  spiritual  slumbers  and 
spiritual  pride,  and  the  bufferings  of  the  messenger 
of  Satan  roused  him  to  strong  crying  for  help  and 


THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS.  231 

salvation.  His  infirmity  gave  a  blessed  opportunity 
for  the  power  of  Christ  to  rest  upon  him,  and  so  he 
gloried  in  it.  Indeed  such  are  the  arrangements 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  that  all  things  work  to- 
gether for  good  to  them  that  love  God.  The  peace- 
able fruit  of  righteousness  is  gathered  in  great  abun- 
dance from  trees,  whose  buds  are  very  bitter.  The 
scorn  of  the  wicked  makes  the  saints  pour  out  their 
tears  unto  God.  Every  pang  is  made  the  means  of 
ultimate  pleasure.  So  that  the  saints  may  well 
count  it  all  joy  when  they  fall  into  divers  tempta- 
tions. These  produce  a  higher  degree  of  patience, 
experience,  hope  and  confidence. 

Nor  is  the  victory  doubtful.  God  is  on  the  side 
of  truth  and  holiness.  He  is  rich  in  resources,  and 
has  pledged  them  all  for  the  complete  deliverance  of 
those,  who  make  him  their  refuge.  A  child  of 
God,  however  weak,  shall  not  be  put  down.  "  The 
feeble  among  them  shall  be  as  David."  The  people 
that  do  "know  their  God  shall  be  strong,  and  shall 
do  exploits."  It  is  as  high  proof  of  the  folly  as  of 
the  malice  of  wicked  men  and  fallen  angels,  that 
they  still  unceasingly  annoy  the  true  people  of  God. 
The  great  enemy  was  never  yet  able  to  pluck  any 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  Saviour.  Many  a  time,  in- 
deed, where  faith  is  weak,  and  the  enemy  comes  in 
like  a  flood,  the  timid  believer  says  :  "I  shall  one 
day  perish  by  the  hand  of  mine  enemy,"  yet  this 
same  man  shall  soon  shout,  "  Thanks  be  unto  God 
who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."      "Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory." 

Even  that  appalling  event,  the  dissolution  of  the 


232  THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS. 

body,  is  followed  by  spotless  purity  and  perfection, 
and  by  a  crown  of  glory.  Of  all  the  steps  in  the 
exaltation  of  his  people  none  is  more  admirable  than 
that  taken  at  death.  Then  the  believer  goes  from 
pain,  weakness,  fear,  conflict  and  death,  to  joy,  rest, 
victory  and  life  everlasting.  The  public  acquittal  of 
the  day  of  judgment,  the  immortal  vigor  and  resplen- 
dent glory  of  a  resurrection  body,  and  the  uninter- 
rupted enjoyment  of  God  to  all  eternity,  will  be  but 
fitting  sequels  to  a  life  of  faith  and  a  death  of  hope. 
Glory  shall  surely  follow  grace,  and  not  a  little  of  it 
either.  There  shall  be  an  "exceeding  weight"  of 
it.  Nor  shall  it  be  transient.  It  shall  be  eternal. 
It  shall  never  fade  away.  It  is  not  measurable.  It 
is  the  glory  of  God,  which  shall  be  revealed  in  all 
the  saints.  It  is  matchless,  endless,  topless,  fath- 
omless glory.  The  faculties  of  the  greatest  men, 
so  far  as  yet  developed,  seem  to  be  incapable  of  any 
adequate  conception  of  a  state  of  glory.  This  has 
given  rise  to  the  opinion  that  as  taste,  reason  and 
judgment  are  faculties  of  the  mind  quite  undeveloped 
in  childhood,  so  there  are  in  all  the  saints  undevel- 
oped faculties,  which  on  their  admission  into  glory, 
will  be  brought  into  exercise.  It  may  be  even  so. 
Perhaps  most  men  are  aware  of  having  both  percep- 
tions and  conceptions  which  cannot  be  expressed, 
because  they  are  so  vague.  Dr.  A.  Alexander  says  : 
"There  are  probably  faculties  of  the  human  soul, 
not  now  exercised,  which  will  be  developed  in  hea- 
ven." The  same  is  taught  by  Durand,  an  able 
French  writer.  He  says:  "De  nouvelles  facultds 
dont  nous  n'avons   aucune  idee  se  develloppereront 


THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS.  233 

sans  cloute  alor,  pour  nous,  rendre  capable,  do  con- 
noissances    plus  tendues,  ct    plus  transcendantes." 

Whatever  may  be  the  truth  in  this  matter,  blessed 
Paul  tells  us  that  "now  we  see  through  a  glass, 
darkly ;  but  then  face  to  face  ;  now  I  know  in  part ; 
but  then  shall  I  know,  even  as  I  am  known . "  Saints 
"shall  be  forever  with  the  Lord,"  and  shall  "behold 
his  glory,  which  he  had  with  the  Eather  before  the 
world  was." 

True  the  attainments  and  condition  of  God's  peo- 
ple are  now  low.  Christ  himself  when  on  earth 
called  them  "little  ones."  This  title  is  expressive 
and  appropriate,  not  merely  in  the  case  of  those,  who 
in  childhood  believe  in  Jesus,  and  are  little  of  sta- 
ture and  of  feeble  faculties.  Such  are  included  ;  for 
out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  God  often 
ordains  strength.  But  others  are  likewise  included, 
even  all  believers.  In  the  esteem  of  the  wicked 
they  are  all  "  little  ones."  Sinners  have  always  held 
the  saints  in  derision.  They  esteem  and  call  them 
the  offscouring  of  all  things.  The  whole  vocabulary 
of  contempt  has  in  every  age  been  exhausted  upon 
them.  Atheists,  Nazarenes,  Lollards,  Precisians, 
Fanatics,  Fools  are  but  a  few  of  the  odious  epithets 
bestowed  upon  them.  The  virtues  of  the  Christian 
character  do  not  please  the  tastes  of  carnal  men. 
They  despise  the  righteous.  Ever  since  the  founda- 
tions of  the  New  Jerusalem  began  to  be  laid,  sinners 
have  shouted,  "if  a  fox  go  up,  he  shall  even  break 
down  their  stone  wall." 

The  people  of  God  are  also  in  their  own  esteem 
"little  ones."     They  have  the  temper  of  a   little 


234         THE    PRIVILEGES    OF     BELIEVERS. 

child  ;  they  are  poor  in  spirit ;  they  think  soberly  of 
themselves ;  they  choose  a  low  place  as  most  befit- 
ting them.  If  others  decry  them,  they  answer  not 
in  great  swelling  words.  They  have  long  used 
such  expressions  as  these:  "Behold  I  am  vile — I 
am  a  man  of  unclean  lips — God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner — I  am  not  worthy  to  be  called  an  apostle — 
I  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints — I  am  the 
chief  of  sinners — 0  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?" 

God's  people  are  generally,  in  fact,  little  ones,  as 
compared  with  many  around  them.  Almost  three 
centuries  before  any  of  the  Cesars  took  upon  him 
the  yoke  of  Christ,  Paul  writes,  "they  of  Cesar's 
household  salute  you."  Not  many  wise  men  after 
the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble  are 
called:  but  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of 
the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath  cho- 
sen the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the 
things,  which  are  mighty ;  and  base  things  of  the 
world,  and  things,  which  are  not,  to  bring  to  naught 
things  that  are.  Plebeian  blood,  an  humble  birth, 
poverty  and  shame  are  the  common  lot  of  nearly 
all,  who  love  the  Saviour. 

And  the  people  of  God  on  earth  are  "little  ones," 
as  contrasted  with  the  angels  in  heaven,  who  are 
mighty  and  excel  in  strength.  Believers  are  weak. 
Like  the  conies  they  are  a  feeble  folk ;  their  strength 
is  in  their  Rock.  The  glory  of  an  angel  lighted  the 
earth,  but  the  saints  on  earth  have  no  dazzling 
brightness,  no  resplendent  effulgence. 

And  in  all  things  God's  people  on  earth  are  but 


THE    PRIVILEGES    OF   BELIEVERS.  235 

as  children  in  their  minority.  They  think,  they 
understand,  they  speak,  they  enjoy  as  little  ones.  It 
shall  he  so  till  they  put  away  childish  things  and 
cease  from  flesh  and  earth. 

Yet  feeble,  few  and  little  as  believers  are,  they 
shall  he  holden  up,  for  God  is  able  to  make  them 
stand.  Finally  they  shall  be  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loved  them  and  gave  himself  for 
them.  God  will  at  last  avenge  their  wrongs,  over- 
throw their  enemies,  and  put  all  their  adversaries  to 
shame.  His  power  is  made  perfect  in  their  weak- 
ness.    He  is  their  God  and  strength  and  portion. 

The  same  blessed  volume  which  calls  them 
Christ's  "little  ones,"  styles  them  God's  "hidden 
ones."  (Ps.  lxxxiii.)  In  what  sense  are  they  hid- 
den ?  Not  from  the  knowledge  of  God  surely.  The 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  All  things  are 
naked  and  opened  unto  him.  Nor  are  they  hidden 
from  the  care  of  God.  It  is  unbelief  which  sus- 
pects such  a  thing.  "Why  say  est  thou,  0  Jacob, 
and  speakest,  0  Israel,  my  way  is  hid  from  the 
Lord,  and  my  judgment  is  passed  over  from  my 
God."  Jehovah  says,  "I  know  Ephraim,  and  Is- 
rael is  not  hid  from  me."  Every  heir  of  grace  may 
sing,  "Lord,  all  my  desire  is  before  thee,  and  my 
groaning  is  not  hid  from  thee."  Saints  are  not 
hidden  from  the  care  of  God.  Nor  are  they  hidden 
from  the  watch  of  angels.  They  are  a  spectacle  to 
angels.  Their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of 
God  in  heaven,  yea,  they  come  forth  and  minister  to 
all  them,  who  shall  be  the  heirs  of  salvation.  Nor 
are  God's  people  hidden  in  the  sense  of  being  covert, 


236  THE    PRIVILEGES    OF   BELIEVERS. 

guileful  and  cunning.  Though  they  are  not  osten- 
tatious, they  are  not  deceitful.  Nor  do  they  make 
a  secret  of  their  love  to  Christ.  They  do  not  blush 
to  own  him.  Nor  do  they  try  to  hide  their  iniqui- 
ties from  the  eye  of  God.  They  have  renounced  the 
hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  and  do  not  walk  in 
craftiness.  Nor  do  they  pass  through  the  world 
without  any  mark  upon  them,  by  which  they  might 
be  known.  They  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
A  city,  set  upon  a  hill,  cannot  be  hid.  In 
none  of  these  senses  are  God's  people  "hidden 
ones."  How  then  are  they  hidden?  They  are  hid- 
den in  God.  Every  perfection  of  the  Almighty  is 
a  chamber  of  refuse  to  the  humble.  Thus  David 
says  :  "  Thou  art  my  hiding-place ;  thou  shalt  pre- 
serve me  from  trouble ;  thou  shalt  compass  me 
about  with  songs  of  deliverance."  Again,  "  Thou 
art  my  hiding-place  and  my  shield  ;  I  hope  in  thy 
word."  And  Solomon  says:  "The  name  of  tho 
Lord  is  a  strong  tower  ;  the  righteous  runneth  into 
it  and  is  safe."  Eternal  wisdom,  power,  justice, 
love,  mercy  and  faithfulness,  in  short  all  divine  per- 
fections are  towers  of  strength,  where  the  chosen  of 
the  Lord  find  shelter.  He  hides  "  them  in  the  se- 
cret of  his  presence  from  the  pride  of  man  ;"  he 
keeps  them  "in  a  pavilion  from  the  strife  of 
tongues." 

They  are  God's  hidden  ones  also,  inasmuch  as 
they  have  meat  to  cat,  which  the  world  knows  not 
of.  They  feed  upon  the  hidden  manna.  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  in  all  their  hearts  is  like  unto  leaven 
which  a  woman  took,  and  hid  in  three  measures  of 
21 


THE   PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS.  237 

ineal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened.  They  are  hidden 
because  their  true  character  is  not  known  to  the 
world.  Their  master  was  unknown  and  so  are  they. 
As  his  glory  was  veiled,  so  is  theirs.  The  world 
sees  their  strictness,  their  zeal,  their  humility,  their 
imperfections,  but  not  their  glory. 

To  the  pious  every  ordinance  of  God  is  a  hiding- 
place.  Thus  says  David:  "In  the  time  of  trouble 
he  shall  hide  me  in  his  pavilion :  in  the  secret  of 
his  tabernacle  shall  he  hide  me ;  he  shall  set  me 
upon  a  rock."  None  but  those,  who  have  felt  it, 
can  tell  the  peace  and  comfort  of  a  child  of  God, 
rejoicing  in  the  ordinances  of  prayer,  praise,  preach- 
ing, and  the  sacraments  of  God's  house. 

God's  people  are  also  hidden  ones,  as  the  book  of 
life,  where  their  names  are  entered,  is  kept  in  secret. 
It  is  in  heaven.  It  is  not  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the 
curious  and  profane.  The  enrollment  is  made  by 
God  himself. 

They  are  also  in  the  esteem  of  many  often  buried 
under  the  slanders  and  outcries  of  the  wicked.  The 
smoke  of  calumny  often  obscures  their  solid  worth. 
Their  best  qualities  are  misnamed  and  their  best 
acts  misjudged.  But  let  them  not  fear.  God  will 
bring  forth  their  righteousness  as  the  light,  and 
their  judgment  as  the  noon-day.  Their  motives 
and  principles  are  not  understood  by  the  world  ;  but 
the  Lord  is  their  Judge.  He  will  wipe  off  from 
their  names  every  foul  aspersion. 

The  highest  excellency  of  being  a  hidden  one  is 
found  in  a  union  with  Christ,  in  whom  are  hid  all 
the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.      To  the 


238  THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS. 

Colossians  Paul  says :  '  '  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God.  When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear, 
then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Thus 
is  wondrously  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah:  "A 
man  shall  be  as  a  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and 
a  covert  from  the  tempest ;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a 
dry  place ;  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary 
land."  This  hiding-place  has  been  sung  and  cele- 
brated and  resorted  to  by  the  saints  ever  since,  the 
days  of  righteous  Abel,  and  shall  be  to  all  eternity. 

God's  people  are  also  hidden  by  his  providence. 
David  prays;  "Keep  me  as  the  apple  of  the  eye, 
hide  me  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings."  All 
God's  people  are  hidden  by  him.  In  vain  does 
Pharaoh  seek  the  death  of  the  infant  Moses,  when 
God  protects  him.  In  vain  do  Jerahmeel  and 
Seraiah  and  Shelemiah  seek  to  destroy  Baruch  and 
Jeremiah,  w7hen  God  hides  them.  His  kingdom 
ruleth  over  all. 

Strange  to  tell,  though  God's  people  are  un- 
known, yet  they  are  well  known,  and,  in  due  time, 
their  characters  shall  be  fully  revealed.  "The  good 
works  of  some  are  manifest  beforehand ;  and  they 
that  are  otherwise  cannot  be  hid."  The  day  will 
declare  it.  Blessed  be  God  !  He  knows  well  the 
difference  between  chaff  and  wheat.  He  will  mani- 
fest his  hidden  ones.  Now  but  few  discern  the  dif- 
ference between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  but 
by  and  by  the  most  dull  shall  perceive  it.  The  day 
is  not  distant  when  shouts  and  alleluiahs  from  the 
righteous  shall  call  forth  groans,  curses  and  screams 
from  their  enemies.     The  ungodly  will  soon  be  say- 


THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS.  239 

ing  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  "Fall  on  ns  and 
hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb."  But 
such  a  cry  is  desperate,  and  can  bring  no  relief. 
For  there  is  no  darkness,  nor  shadow  of  death, 
where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide  themselves. 
The  hail  shall  sweep  away  their  refuges  of  lies,  and 
the  waters  shall  overflow  their  hiding-places.  But 
not  so  the  righteous.  They  are  safe,  come  what 
will.  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  hath  blessed  them  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.  They  are  se- 
cured against  all  perils.  They  are  sure  of  all  mer- 
cies. Nothing  shall  ruin,  nothing  shall  damage 
them.  The  everlasting  God  is  their  exceeding  great 
reward  and  their  unfailing  portion. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Thanksgiving  is  a  most  reasonable  duty.  On 
the  part  of  real  Christians  nothing  could  be  more 
obligatory.  If  the  half  they  believe  and  hope  for 
shall  ever  be  realized,  they  have  cause  for  unceasing 
songs.  But  when  we  remember  that  God  will  do 
for  them  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  they  can 
ask  or  think,  the  motives  to  thanksgiving  acquire 
unparallelled  strength.  Besides,  all  these  blessings 
are  secured  to  us,  in  Christ  Jesus.  They  are  the 
price  of  his  incarnation,  the  fruit  of  his  agony,  the 
purchase  of  his  tears  and  blood.  As  Christ,  and 
nothing  else,  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righte- 
ousness  to   every   one   that    believeth;    as   Christ 


240  THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS. 

and  nothing  else,  can  save  a  single  soul  of  man; 
so  it  is  right  that  Christ  who  came,  and  his  Father, 
who  sent  him,  and  the  Spirit,  who  anointed  him, 
should  have  all  the  honor  and  glory  of  man's  salva- 
tion. "Blessed  he  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus ;"  and  let  every 
creature  say,  Amen.  This  doxology  was  written 
by  Paul,  a  prisoner.  No  chains,  nor  bars,  nor 
stripes  could  repress  his  adoring  praises.  No  griefs, 
nor  calamities  should  repress  ours.  Let  us  crown 
our  God  and  Saviour  in  each  of  our  songs. 

2.  Christians  can  well  afford  to  let  the  wicked 
triumph  now.  Their  laughter  is  but  the  crackling 
of  thorns  under  a  pot.  It  will  take  an  infinite  mind 
to  gauge  the  folly  of  living  a  life  of  sin.  Many 
think  there  is  a  wisdom  quite  above  that  of  fearing 
God ;  but  this  delusion  never  passes  the  portals  of 
eternity,  and  seldom  passes  beyond  the  limits  of  tem- 
poral prosperity.  The  poorest  man  in  the  world  is 
he,  who  is  not  rich  towards  God.  None  have  so 
much  cause  to  be  afraid  of  hell  as  those,  who  never 
think  of  it,  nor  fear  its  dreadful  sufferings.  "Hell 
is  the  truth  seen  too  late."  JIow  dreadful  it  must 
be  to  live  in  thoughtlessness  and  for  the  first  time 
awake  to  just  apprehensions  of  our  character  and 
destiny,  when  the  clay  of  grace  is  gone  forever. 
Nothing  surprised  men  more  than  the  blessings, 
which  our  Lord  pronounced  on  the  righteous  wheiv 
on  earth,  unless  it  was  the  wToes  he  denounced 
against  some,  who  are  apt  to  bless  themselves  in 
their  iniquity  and  compass  themselves  about  with 
21* 


THE    PRIVILEGES  OF    BELIEVERS.  241 

pride  as  with  a  chain.  The  former  were  such  as 
these  :  "Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit — Blessed  are 
ye  that  weep  now — Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall 
hate  you,  and  when  they  shall  separate  you  from 
their  company,  and  shall  reproach  you,  and  cast  out 
your  name  as  evil,  for  the  Son  of  Man's  sake — 
Blessed  are  the  meek,"  &c.  The  woes  are  such  as 
these:  " Wo  unto  you  that  are  rich!  for  ye  have 
received  your  consolation — Wo  unto  you  that  are 
full !  for  ye  shall  hunger — Wo  unto  you  that  laugh 
now !  for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep.  Wo  unto  you 
when  all  men  shall  speak  well  of  you !  for  so  did 
their  fathers  to  the  false  prophets."  It  will  he  found 
in  the  end  that  the  very  beginning  of  wisdom  is  the 
fear  of  the  Lord. 

3.  How  reasonable  it  is  to  invite  and  persuade 
all  men  to  be  truly  and  earnestly  pious.  Make  the 
service  of  God  your  business,  and  it  will  surely  be 
your  delight.  The  door  of  mercy  is  now  open, 
therefore  rise  and  enter.  In  an  hour  it  may  be 
shut,  therefore  fear  and  tremble.  0  speed  your 
flight  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world.  If  you  are  ever  to  be  partakers 
of  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places,  it  must 
be  in  Christ.  Can  you  doubt  the  wisdom  of  giving 
your  heart  to  Christ  and  his  service  ?  God's  word 
and  providence  and  man's  experience  all  point  in  the 
same  direction.  One  of  the  best  ways  of  ascer- 
taining the  nature  of  things  is  to  ask  dying  sinners. 
They  commonly  speak  clearly  and  uniformly.  Not 
one  of  them  has  ever  pronounced  gold,  or  earthly 
honor,  or  carnal  pleasure,  of  real  value  to  a  dying 


242  THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    BELIEVERS. 

man.  Not  one  one  of  them  has  ever  pronounced  a 
life  of  sin  wise,  or  a  death  in  sin  desirable.  Nor 
do  dying  sinners  ever  testify  to  the  value  of  their 
strong  delusions,  even  when  they  hug  them  fast. 
The  utmost  error  can  do  in  that  awful  hour  is  to 
make  those  embracing  it  sullen,  or  irritable.  It 
never  kindles  up  the  countenance  with  an  unearthly 
smile.  It  never  gives  songs  hi  the  night.  *  *  The 
doctrine  of  the  cross  is  the  only  religion  for  a  dying 
sinner."  Nothing  else  bears  the  soul  above  the 
world.  Nothing  else  makes  it  strong  in  God. 
Nothing  else  gives  the  loud  shout  of  victory  to  the 
poor  soul  of  a  dying  man. 


GOOD  WORKS,   THEIR  BASIS  AND  NATURE.    243 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

GOOD  WORKS — THEIR   BASIS   AND  THEIR  NATURE. 

Jesus  Christ  is  not  the  minister  of  sin.  "He 
gave  himself  for  113  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple, zealous  of  good  works."  (Tit.ii:  1, 4.)  The 
true  relation  between  God's  mercy  and  man's  holi- 
ness is  a  weighty  matter.  He,  who  holds  the  true 
doctrine  respecting  grace  and  works,  has  heavenly 
wisdom. 

In  explanation  of  this  matter  the  Scriptures 
employ  a  great  variety  of  figures.  Among  these 
none  is  more  expressive  than  that  drawn  from  archi- 
tecture. The  whole  church  of  God  is  presented  as 
a  house  of  vast  dimensions,  and  of  great  strength, 
beauty  and  durability,  having  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
for  the  corner-stone,  for  a  foundation.  To  his  peo- 
ple he  is  all  and  in  all.  He  is  the  ground  of  their  faith 
and  hope.  On  him  they  rest  all  their  weight.  He 
is  the  Rock  of  ages.  In.  him  centre  all  their  desires. 
From  him  are  all  their  expectations.  From  him 
spring  all  their  good  motives.  In  the  business  of 
salvation  he  is  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  first 
and  the  last,  the  beginning  and  the  end.  He  is  the 
only  foundation.     What  he  is  to  them  he  is  to  the 


244  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR   BASIS 

exclusion  of  all  others.  lie  admits  no  rivals  in  our 
confidence  and  affections.  He  is  Lord  of  all.  Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which 
is  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  none  other  name  given 
under  heaven  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be 
saved.  He  is  the  one  and  only  Mediator  between 
God  and  men.  His  blood  alone,  his  righteousness 
alone,  his  priestly  intercession  alone  are  sufficient 
for  us.  We  need  no  other  Saviour.  There  is  no 
other.  No  other  can  do  us  any  good.  All  attempts 
to  find  another  are  efforts  to  defraud  the  Son  of  God 
of  the  glory,  which  is  his  duo,  and  will  be  so  re- 
garded by  him.  He  that  climbeth  up  some  other 
way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber. 

Christ  is  not  only  the  foundation  of  all  good  hopes 
and  good  results,  but  he  is  also  the  basis  of  all  good 
works.  From  him  is  our  fruit  found.  His  Spirit 
gives  us  life  and  energy.  His  cross  opens  the  way 
for  the  acceptance  of  such  good  works  as  fallen  but 
regenerate  men  can  perform.  His  love  is  the  great 
ruling  motive  and  stimulus  to  a  holy  life.  With- 
out him  we  can  do  nothing.  All  works,  which  do 
not  spring  from  him,  are  dead  works  and  have 
neither  vitality,  nor  acceptance.  He,  who  would 
be  saved,  must  be  willing  to  have  Christ  for  his 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification  and 
redemption. 

Unless  our  religion  produces  fruits  of  holiness,  it 
cannot  be  genuine.  Practice  is  the  very  life  of 
piety.  He,  who  feels  and  thinks  correctly,  will  act 
correctly.     This  is  sound  and  true. 

In  God's  word  these  things  are  made  very  plain : 


AND    THEIR    NATURE.  245 

I.  Iii  order  that  a  work  may  be  a  good  work,  it 
is  necessary  that  it  be  something  required  of  us  by 
God.  No  alleged  good  intention,  no  amount  of 
zeal  under  pretence  of  religion  can  ever  elevate  any 
human  device  to  the  dignity  of  a  good  work.  He 
who  makes  his  people  perfect  in  every  good  work 
does  it  by  enabling  them  to  do  his  will.  To  prove 
what  is  the  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect 
will  of  God  is  our  great  business.  Uncommanded 
observances  in  religion  are  at  the  best  supersti- 
tion. "Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hands?" 
is  the  stern  and  solemn  rebuke  administered  by  God 
to  all,  who  invent,  or  practise  any  thing  invented  by 
man,  to  honor  God.  Of  such  Christ  says,  "la 
vain  they  do  worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the 
commandments  of  men."  (Matt,  xv  :  9.)  By  an 
ancient  prophet  God  condemns  those  "whose  fear 
towards  him  is  taught  by  the  precepts  of  men." 
(Isa.  xxix:  13.)  He  who  forsakes  God's  revealed 
will  as  the  rule  of  holy  living,  will  find  no  natural 
resting  place,  until  he  shall  arrive  at  the  height  of 
wickedness,  reached  by  those  who  thought  that  they 
did  God  service  by  killing  his  saints.  Their  first 
and  grand  error  was  in  determining  for  themselves, 
independent  of  God's  word,  how  they  would  serve 
him.  God  gave  us  his  law,  not  that  we  should 
judge  it,  revise  it,  or  amend  it,  but  that  we  should 
obey  it.  This  law  determines  the  whole  matter, 
manner,  measure  and  motive  of  duty.  It  tells  us 
what  to  do,  how  and  why,  and  how  much  to  do. 
The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect.  It  admits  of  no 
improvements.     God  is  the  sole  Lord  of  conscience, 


246  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR   BASIS 

the  only  lawgiver  in  religion.  Good  works,  there- 
fore for  the  matter  of  them  must  be  enjoined  by 
God.  In  doing  them  our  object  must  be  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  glory  of  God,  and  our  motive 
must  be  love  to  God.  The  whole  must  be  done  in 
the  strength  of  Christ.  He  is  our  life.  His  grace 
is  sufficient  for  us.  By  him  we  live,  and  conquer, 
and  reign. 

II.  It  is  possible  for  a  good  man  so  to  live  and  act 
that  notwithstanding  the  imperfections  of  his  ser- 
vices, they  shall  be  accepted  of  God.  In  other 
words  he  may  perform  good  works,  acceptable  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  Paul  teaches  that 
a  man  may  build  upon  this  foundation  '  gold,  silver 
and  precious  stones,'  by  which  beyond  a  question  he 
means  good  works  which  shall  be  pleasing  to  God. 
It  is  true,  sin  is  mixed  with  all  we  do.  Our  very 
best  actions  have  in  their  imperfection  a  cause  of 
humiliation,  and  so  ground  of  condemnation.  But 
God,  who  graciously  accepts  the  persons  of  be- 
lievers, does  graciously  accept  their  sincere  and  hon- 
est attempts  to  serve  and  please  him.  This  acceptance 
is  abundantly  declared  in  Scriptures.  Thus  the 
Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel  and  to  his  offering. 
There  is  indeed  in  these  works  no  merit  by  which 
a  man  may  redeem  his  soul  or  purchase  heaven. 
They  themselves  gain  admission  only  through  the 
merit  of  Christ.  So  teach  the  Scriptures,  "Ye 
also,  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual  house, 
an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices, 
acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. "  (1  Peter,  ii  : 
5.)     So  that  it  is  true  of  all  those,  who  have  fled 


AND    THEIR   NATURE.  247 

for  refuge  to  Christ,  that,  "  if  there  be  first  a  will- 
ing mind,  it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man 
hath,  and  not  according  to  that  he  hath  not.  For 
God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and 
labor  of  love,  which  ye  have  shewed  toward  his 
name."  The  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  cover  such 
works  of  God's  people  with  a  delightful  perfume, 
and  their  prayers  and  alms  come  up  in  remembrance 
before  God.  So  that  Christ  is  altogether  and  every 
way  our  Saviour.  He  saves  our  souls  from  wrath 
and  hell  and  sin.  He  saves  our  works  from  con- 
demnation and  eternal  oblivion,  which  they  richly 
deserve,  and  makes  them  to  be  to  us  forever  as  gold, 
and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and  thus  we  have 
treasure  in  heaven. 

III.  A  truly  good  man,  who  really  believes  in 
Christ,  may  so  act  that  his  works  will  be  rejected 
by  God.  They  may  be  'hay,  wood-  and  stubble.' 
This  is  a  very  solemn  subject,  and  well  deserves  the 
close  attention  of  every  one.  A  man,  who  in  the 
main  trusts  in  the  blood  of  Christ  for  salvation, 
may  so  far  lose  sight  of  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation 
as  to  go  back  to  the  law,  and  seek  to  commend 
himself  to  God  more  or  less  by  his  works.  Having 
begun  in  the  spirit,  he  may  seek  to  be  perfected  by 
the  flesh.  Having  fled  from  the  law  at  the  first,  he 
may  venture  back  hoping  that  now  by  the  deeds  of 
it,  he  may  perpetuate  the  divine  favor  towards  him. 
This  was  the  great  error  of  the  Galatians,  which 
Paul  so  strongly  reproved,  and  which  brought  on 
them  so  many  troubles. 

Preaching  the  gospel  is  itself  a  good  work.     If 


248  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR   BASIS 

rightly  done,  it  shall  meet  a  great  reward.  Even  if 
done  with  wrong  motives,  the  truth  preached  may 
save  the  souls  of  the  hearers,  but  to  the  preacher 
all  will  be  hay,  wood  and  stubble  at  last.  Paul 
tells  us  of  some,  who  preached  Christ  of  envy  and 
strife,  and  some  also  of  good  will.  The  one 
preached  Christ  of  contention,  not  sincerely,  sup- 
posing to  add  affliction  to  his  bonds.  Yet  he  re- 
joiced that  Christ  was  preached  every  way,  whether 
in  pretence,  or  in  truth.  So  a  man  may  now  preach 
the  truth,  not  for  the  love  he  bears  to  it  or  to  Christ, 
but  for  applause,  for  profit,  or  for  some  base  end. 
Such  service  may  get  its  reward  here,  but  it  will 
not  gain  any  hereafter.  Or  a  converte  1  man  may  be 
led  far  astray  into  fanaticism,  or  superstition,  and 
may,  with  a  blind  and  furious  zeal,  do  things  com- 
manded, or,  under  pretence  of  serving  God,  may 
do  things,  which  God  has  no  where  commanded, 
and  so  he  may  waste  much  of  his  life.  The  inge- 
nuity and  cunning  of  man  work  not  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,  and  never  will  be  owned  by  him  as  of 
any,  the  least  value.  It  has  been  already  shown 
how  utterly  valueless  are  all  superstitious  or  nncom- 
manded  observances.  That  a  good  man  may  go 
very  far  astray  the  Scriptures  clearly  teach;  and 
observation  and  experience  abundantly  confirm.  A 
man's  life  may  in  this  way  be  miserably  wasted. 
His  work  may  be  burned  up  and  he  sutler  loss,  but 
he  himself  saved.  The  Scripture  does  not  say  that 
a  truly  renewed  man  may  so  act  that  all  his  works 
shall  at  last  be  rejected.     But  it  does  clearly  assert 

that  he  may  adopt  such  erroneous  views,  be  swayed 
9.9 


AND    THEIR    NATURE.  249 

by  such  unworthy  motives,  and  propose  to  himself 
such  selfish  ends  as  wholly  to  bring  on  an  act,  a 
series  of  acts,  a  great  part  of  his  acts  utter  rejection 
by  God.  They  were  not  performed  in  the  name  or 
strength  of  Christ.  God's  glory  was  not  their  end. 
The  love  of  Christ  was  not  the  constraining  influ- 
ence, that  prompted  them.  Self-sufficiency,  form- 
ality, habit,  or  something,  that  implies  no  love  or 
fear  towards  God,  determined  all.  Whereas  Christ's 
great  question  at  last  will  be,  What  did  ye  unto 
me  ?  What  did  ye  out  of  regard  to  my  authority, 
my  law,  my  example  and  my  love  ? 

IV.  The  scrutiny,  which  all  the  actions  of  men 
will  undergo  in  the  last  clay  will  be  thorough  and 
searching.  It  will  be  the  scrutiny  of  God.  Om- 
niscience cannot  be  deceived.  The  divine  majesty 
will  not  be  mocked.  The  holiness  of  God  is  un- 
spotted. Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire.  All  this 
is  clearly  asserted  in  God's  word.  * '  Every  man's 
work  shall  be  made  manifest:  for  the  day  shall 
declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire,  and 
the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work,  of  what  sort  it 
is."  It  will  not  be  by  practising  any  deception  on 
himself  or  any  of  his  creatures  that  God  will  dis- 
criminate between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
the  works  of  the  spirit  and  the  works  of  the  flesh. 
God's  people  will  not  be  saved,  nor  their  works 
accepted  by  connivance  at  sin,  and  folly,  madness 
and  superstition.  He  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  be- 
hold iniquity.  The  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteous- 
ness. He  is  not  and  never  will  be,  like  a  partial 
parent,  blind  to  the  faults  of  his  own  people.     It  is 


250  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR   BASIS 

not  by  shutting  his  eyes  to  their  offences,  but  by 
finding  in  Christ  a  full  satisfaction,  which  they  also 
accept  by  faith,  that  he  absolves  them  from  g"iilt, 
and  takes  them  into  his  favor.  Nor  will  he  regard 
as  done  unto  him  any  thing  that  was  not  intended 
for  his  glory.  The  grace  of  the  gospel  does  in  no 
sense  consist  in  trampling  on  law,  in  disparaging 
holiness,  in  denying  iniquity  and  justice.  God  has 
already  published  in  his  word  what  will  be  glori- 
ously manifest  in  the  last  day,  that,  while  he  freely 
pardons  the  sinner,  he  condemns  sin ;  that  while  he 
accepts  graciously,  he  makes  it  manifest  that  it  is  a 
gracious  acceptance  he  grants  to  believers.  As 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  will  stand  fire,  and 
their  true  nature  be  manifest  by  being  brought 
under  its  action,  so  will  the  good  works  of  God's 
people  be  by  the  fires  of  the  last  day.  And  as  hay, 
wood  and  stubble  are  always  consumed  by  a  vehe- 
ment flame,  so  will  the  essentially  deficient  works 
of  the  righteous  perish  in  the  fires  of  the  last  day, 
together  with  all  the  works  of  unregenerate  men, 
for  "they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God." 
"  Their  sacrifice  is  an  abomination  unto  the  Lord, 
because  it  is  offered  with  a  wicked  mind." 

If  these  things  are  so,  then 

1.  Let  every  man  solemnly  consider  his  ways  and 
inquire  whether  his  present  course  of  life  is  oris  not 
really  pleasing  to  God.  You  are  a  professor  of  re- 
ligion. You  ought  to  be.  It  is  right  publicly  to 
own  allegiance  to  God.  How  is  your  practice? 
Does  it  comport  with  all  that  a  profession  implies  ? 
Does  it  in  its  uniform  course  and  bearing  agree  with 


AND    THEIR    NATURE.  251 

your  clear  and  settled  principles  ?  Or  do  you  live 
without  any  principles  on  some  great  and  weighty 
matters  ?  Do  you  know  your  Lord's  will  ?  God 
has  declared  that  "whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin." 
This  one  declaration  covers  these  two  cases.  It 
clearly  condemns  those  who  willingly  live  in  igno- 
rance of  their  duty,  and  those,  who,  knowing  what 
is  right,  are  not  true  to  their  principles.  Do  you 
belong  to  either  class  ?  Are  you  fickle,  or  are  you 
steadfast?  Are  you  a  pillar,  or  are  you  a  reed 
shaken  with  the  wind  ?  ' '  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord 
shall  be  as  mount  Zion,  which  cannot  be  removed, 
but  abideth  forever."  You  visit  the  house  of  God 
and  shew  some  zeal  in  his  worship.  Why  do  you  do 
it  ?  Is  it  to  glorify  God,  and  seek  your  soul's  edifi- 
cation ?  or  is  it  to  maintain  the  proprieties  of  life  and 
secure  the  respect  of  mortals  ?  Is  your  heart  in  it  ? 
Are  the  courts  of  the  Lord  amiable  in  your  eyes  ? 
"When  you  are  in  your  seat,  where  are  your  thoughts  ? 
Is  your  service  rendered  unto  the  Lord? 

You  give  of  your  substance.  Very  well.  If 
piety  takes  hold  of  a  churl  it  will  make  him  liberal. 
It  will  convert  a  miser  into  a  philanthropist.  But 
then  every  man  is  not  liberal  from  love  to  God. 
Some  are  so  from  a  natural  generosity  of  heart, 
some  because  they  have  been  trained  to  it,  some 
because  they  wish  to  be  well  thought  of  by  men, 
and  some  because  they  expect  to  buy  heaven  with 
their  sordid  pelf,  despite  their  more  sordid  motives. 
Why  are  you  liberal  ?  Possibly  you  may  have  no 
higher  motive  than  to  get  rid  of  importunity.  Do 
you  set  the  Lord  always  before  you  ?     When  you 


252  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR    BASIS 

have  clone  a  service  to  religion,  do  you  dwell  upon 
it  with  self-righteous  complacency  ?  or  do  you  like 
Neheiniah  say,  "Remember  me,  0  my  God,  for 
good  for  this  also  and  spare  me  according  to  the 
greatness  of  thy  mercy."  To  he  lightly  esteemed 
of  men  for  seeming  to  be  a  Christian,  and  to  be  re- 
jected of  God  for  not  being  one,  is  the  righteous 
doom  of  every  self-deceiver.  But  should  we  even 
be  true  Christians,  yet  what  loss  we  may  suffer  by 
neglecting  a  proper  course  of  vigilance  over  our 
ways  and  hearts.  How  mournful  the  thought  that 
some  may  live  long  and  yet  lay  up  but  little  treasure  in 
heaven.  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you 
like  men,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
his  might.  Keep  your  hearts  with  all  diligence,  for 
out  of  them  are  the  issues  of  life.  It  is  possible  to 
err  in  engaging  too  much  in  outward  observances, 
but  no  man  ever  watched  his  own  heart  too  closely. 
Let  your  judgments  and  investigations  of  yourself 
be  impartial,  thorough  and  scriptural,  remembering 
that  they  must  all  be  reviewed  and,  if  false,  reversed 
in  the  last  day.  Therefore  inquire  often  and  ear- 
nestly whether  you  have  any  infallible  signs  of 
grace,  especially  whether  self-love  has  given  place 
to  the  love  of  God  and  man,  whether  self-justifica- 
tion has  yielded  to  self-condemnation,  self-admira- 
tion to  self- abhorrence,  self-seeking  to  self-denying, 
whether  your  heart  really  approves  of  and  loves  the 
whole  law  of  God,  whether  you  really  hunger  and 
thirst  after  righteousness,  whether  you  earnestly  de- 
sire to  please  God,  whether  your  heart  is  habitually 

towards  the  saints,  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  whether 

22* 


AND    THEIR    NATURE.  253 

God's  service  and  honor  hold  the  supremacy  in  your 
affections  and  whether  you  hate  vain  thoughts.  Es- 
pecially what  are  your  thoughts  of  Christ  ?  Do  you 
rejoice  in  his  honor  ?  Are  you  afflicted  when  he  is 
reproached  ?  Do  you  chiefly  care  for  his  kingdom  ? 
Is  he  precious  to  you  ?  Do  you  love  him  above  all 
others  ?  Can  you  rejoice  in  tribulation  for  his  sake  ? 
Is  his  will  your  law  ?  Is  he  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  you  ? 

2.  The  great  end  of  our  existence  here  is  to  pre- 
pare for  another  and  a  better  world.  If  men  have 
any  use  of  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones  here, 
they  will  have  much  more  need  of  imperishable 
riches  hereafter.  If  the  gold  that  perisheth  is  of 
any  use,  the  enduring  substance  of  the  next  world 
will  be  of  far  more  use.  The  gains  of  earth,  though 
honestly  obtained,  are  miserable  trash,  compared 
with  the  true  riche3  of  heaven.  A  residence  on 
earth,  united  with  the  curse  brought  on  us  by  the 
fall,  has  subjected  us  to  employments,  which  to  say 
the  least  are  commonly  not  very  elevated.  But  our 
voluntary  debasement,  our  foolish  love  of  trifles,  and 
our  grovelling  conceptions  make  us  still  more  low 
in  most  of  our  aims.  God  is  not  in  all  our  thoughts. 
We  forget  our  everlasting  home.  We  are  so  busy 
in  laying  up  treasure  here  that  we  fail  to  lay  up 
treasure  in  heaven.  Yet  this  is  our  great  business, 
the  very  end  for  which  every  wise  man  lives.  One 
of  the  most  difficult  of  all  duties,  is  to  keep  eternity 
in  full  view.  What  will  all  our  pains  and  trials  for 
Christ's  sake  be  to  us,  when  we  shall  reach  the  ever- 
lasting future  ?     Because  "our  life  is  a  passage  to 


254  GOOD    WORKS,    THEIR    BASIS 

eternity,  it  ought  to  be  a  meditation  on  eternity,  and 
a  preparation  for  eternity."  How  poor  will  those 
men  be  who  toil  and  save  and  hoard,  and  go  to  eter- 
nity without  any  righteousness  to  cover  them,  or 
any  shelter  to  protect  them.  We  are  in  the  habit  of 
regarding  beggars  on  earth,  as  miserable,  yet  their 
wants  may  be  supplied.  Beggars  on  earth  may  be- 
come princes.  But  go  poor  to  eternity,  and  your  pov- 
erty will  not  only  come  like  an  armed  man,  but  it 
will  be  perpetual.  On  the  other  hand,  the  righteous, 
who  are  wise,  and  spend  their  lives  and  their  all  in 
seeking  to  glorify  God,  shall  have  an  everlasting 
home,  with  God  for  their  Father,  and  a  kingdom 
glorious  beyond  all  conception. 

3.  All,  who  shall  at  last  be  saved,  will  not  be 
alike  glorious.  The  joys  and  bliss  of  Paradise  are 
the  rewards  of  grace  and  not  of  debt;  yet  they  will 
bear  a  relation  to  the  service  rendered  to  Christ  on 
earth.  He,  that  soweth  sparingly,  shall  reap  also 
sparingly.  Behold  we  count  them  happy,  who  en- 
dured cruel  mockings,  scourgings  and  deaths.  There 
is  no  good  man  who  does  not  believe  the  faithful 
martyr's  crown  very  glorious.  None  of  us  may 
ever  wear  one  so  effulgent.  But  while  the  righteous 
shall  shine  as  the  firmament,  they  that  turn  many 
to  righteousness  shall  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and 
ever,  and  as  one  star  dift'ereth  from  another  star  in 
glory,  so  also  shall  it  be  in  the  resurrection.  When 
this  corruptible  shall  put  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  put  on  immortality,  and  death  be  swal- 
lowed up  in  victory,  and  the  people  of  God  be 
glorified  together  with  Christ,  the  least  of  them 


AND    THEIR    NATURE.  255 

shall  bo  wondrously  glorious,  but  some  will   be  as 
stars  of  the  first  magnitude. 

4.  Well  do  we  speak  of  the  true  system  of  reli- 
gion as  the  Christian  religion.  It  is  Christian  be- 
cause Christ  is  the  sum  and  substance,  the  author 
and  finisher  of  it.  He  is  the  way,  the  truth  and 
the  life.  "If  we  would  stand,  Christ  must  be  our 
foundation,  if  we  would  be  safe,  Christ  must  be  our 
sanctuary,"  if  we  live  usefully,  it  must  be  by  his 
grace,  if  we  die  happily  it  must  be  through  the 
power  of  his  resurrection.  His  doctrines  are  pure 
truth,  his  example  is  without  spot,  his  death  was  a 
complete  atonement,  his  promises  are  stable  as  the 
pillars  of  heaven.  None  can  resist  his  power,  over- 
reach his  wisdom,  or  defeat  his  counsels.  It  is  easy 
to  give  too  prominent  a  place  to  man.  But  it  is 
not  possible  to  make  too  much  of  Christ.  "To  be 
in  him  is  heaven  below  ;  to  be  with  him  and  to  be 
like  him,  is  heaven  above."  .  Oh  that  all  would  be 
his  people  !  Oh  that  all  would  take  him  for  their 
Saviour ! 


250  BITES     VAIN    COMPARED 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

RITES    VAIN    COMPARED   WITH    HEARTY    PIETY   TOWARDS 
GOD   AND   GENUINE    KINDNESS   TOWARDS    MEN. 

It  is  a  fond  conceit  of  many  that  sin,  and  the 
evils  flowing  from  it,  can  be  cured  by  the  careful 
observance  of  a  ritual.  The  corrupt  heart  is  averse 
to  real  holiness.  It  loves  to  heal  slightly  its  own 
hurts.  Some  of  the  worst  men  of  every  generation 
are  punctilious  in  their  attention  to  ceremonies. 
They  heed  not  the  words  of  God,  "I  desired  mercy 
and  not  sacrifice."  (llos.  vi:  6.)  In  Scripture 
great  stress  is  laid  on  this  truth.  Our  Lord  twice 
quotes  these  words;  once  to  justify  himself  in  hold- 
ing familiar  intercourse  with  publicans  and  sinners ; 
and  once  to  justify  his  disciples  in  plucking  the  ears 
of  corn  on  the  Sabbath  day.  (Matt,  ix:  13;  xii: 
7.)  Tims  he  clearly  teaches  that  in  a  conflict  be- 
tween the  letter  of  the  ceremonial  law  and  the 
spirit  of  the  moral  law,  the  former  must  yield. 
God  prefers  mercy,  kindness,  goodness,  charity  out 
of  a  pure  heart  to  any  rites,  or  forms  of  religion, 
even  when  prescribed  by  himself.  Conformity  to 
both  tables  of  the  moral  law  is  of  the  essence  of 
true  religion.  He  who  loves  the  one  will  not  hate 
the  other.  Both  demand  the  heart.  Both  claim 
the  will  and  affections.     From  no  precept  of  either 


WITH   HEARTY   PIETY,    ETC.  257 

can  we  be  dispensed.  But  in  every  age  God  has 
instituted  methods  of  public  worship.  These  are 
in  themselves  right.  Yet  in  God's  esteem  our 
attendance  upon  them  is  as  nothing  compared  with 
love  and  obedience  to  God  and  genuine  kindness  to 
man,  visiting  the  sick,  clothing  the  naked,  feeding 
the  hungry,  comforting  the  distressed,  counselling 
the  perplexed.  If  we  cannot  be  in  the  house  of  God 
without  slighting  the  charities  of  life  we  must  stay 
at  home.  He,  who  under  pretence  of  piety  leaves 
his  sick  wife  or  child  to  suiter  alone,  may  join  in 
public  worship  even  with  a  great  show  of  zeal,  but 
he  is  not  in  the  line  of  his  duty. 

The  ceremonial  of  religion  was  never  designed  to 
make  war  on  the  moral  duties  which  we  owe  to 
God  or  man,  and  all  vie  s  of  religion  which  elevate 
the  ritual  above  the  practical,  the  formal  above  the 
substantial,  are  erroneous.  We  may  never  sell 
morality  to  buy  religion.  Every  ordinance  of  God 
was  made  for  the  good  of  man ;  and  a  right  inter- 
pretation of  Scripture  can  never  justify  either  im- 
piety towards  God  or  injustice,  cruelty  or  unkindness 
to  man.  That  we  may  see  how  true  this  is,  let  us 
remember, 

I.  God  is  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  any  per- 
sonal benefaction  from  us.  Even  the  Son  of  man, 
who  once  became  poor,  is  no  longer  within  the 
reach  of  human  charity.  Our  goodness  therefore 
cannot  extend  to  any  person  of  the  Godhead.  Man 
cannot  be  profitable  to  his  Maker.  But  God  has 
constituted  the  poor,  the  dependent  and  the  afflicted 
of  our  race,  his  heirs  and  representatives.     To  them 


258  RITES     VAIN    COMPARED 

we  may  give  whatever  our  love  to  him  prompts. 
Thus  our  love  to  God  has  full  though  indirect  scope ; 
and  opportunity  of  proving  it  is  furnished  to  every 
man.  So  that  if  a  man  see  his  brother  have  need, 
and  shut  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him, 
the  love  of  God  dwells  not  in  him.  For  if  we  love 
not  our  brother  whom  we  have  seen,  we  cannot 
love  God  whom  we  have  not  seen.  (1  Johniii: 
17;  iv:  20.) 

II.  Every  day  God  sets  us  an  example  of  good- 
ness and  mercy,  which  he  requires  us  to  imitate. 
He  opens  his  hand  and  satisfies  the  desire  of  every 
living  thing.  He  sends  rain  from  heaven,  and 
fruitful  seasons,  filling  men's  hearts  with  food  and 
gladness.  He  makes  his  sun  to  shine  on  the  just  and 
on  the  unjust.  He  is  good  to  the  unkind  and  to 
the  unthankful.  He  requires  us  to  be  imitators  of 
him.  (Eph.  v:  1.)  If  we  are  not  like  God,  we 
cannot  be  saved ;  and  if  we  do  not  in  our  measure 
act  like  God,  we  are  none  of  his.   (Matt,  v:  44,  45.) 

III.  Even  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  God 
often  declared  a  decided  preference  for  a  life  of 
hearty  piety,  usefulness,  self-denial  and  justice, 
over  any  devotion  to  prescribed  forms  of  worship. 
*  'To  do  justice  and  judgment  is  more  acceptable  to  the 
Lord  than  sacrifice."  (Pr.  xxi:3.)  The  50th  Psalm 
declares  very  fully  the  principles  on  which  the  judg- 
ment of  the  last  day  will  proceed.  It  announces 
that  no  man  will  be  condemned  for  the  want  of 
attention  to  sacrifices  and  burnt  offerings,  and  ex- 
presses strong  preference  for  thanksgiving,  the  pay- 
ment  of  vows,  prayer,  obedience  to  the  Word  of 


WITH    nEARTY   PIETY,    ETC.  259 

God,  honesty,  purity,  truth,  charity  and  brotherly 
kindness.     (Ps.  1:  8-20.) 

The  prophet  Isaiah  lived  in  a  time  of  general 
defection  from  God.  The  state  of  religion  was  sad, 
and  the  state  of  the  nation  threatening.  All  this 
time  great  devotion  to  sacrifices  and  burnt  offerings, 
to  new  moons  and  the  calling  of  assemblies  and 
appointed  feasts  was  manifest,  but  powerless.  The 
remedy  God  prescribes  is  in  these  words :  "Wash 
ye,  make  you  clean;  put  away  the  evil  of  your 
doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease  to  do  evil ; 
learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  op- 
pressed, judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow." 
(Isa.  i:  16,  17.)  In  his  later  writings  the  same 
prophet  shows  how  iniquities  had  separated  the  peo- 
ple from  God  and  their  sins  hid  his  face  from  them. 
Blood-guiltiness,  injustice,  lies,  perverseness,  reli- 
ance on  vanity,  violence  and  love  of  strife  were  the 
real  causes  of  the  divine  judgments.   (Isa.  lviii:  2-8.) 

By  the  weeping  prophet  the  Almighty  hewed  the 
same  guilty  people.  Theft,  lying,  murder,  unclean- 
ness,  perjury,  robbery,  no  less  than  idolatry  reduced 
their  state  so  low  that  God  actually  forbade  the  pro- 
phet to  pray  for  them.  (Jer.  vii:  8-16.)  Indeed 
in  the  same  chapter  God  says,  "I  spake  not  unto 
your  fathers,  nor  commanded  them  in  the  day  that 
I  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  concern- 
ing burnt  offerings  or  sacrifices:  but  this  thins: 
commanded  I  them,  saying,  Obey  my  voice,  and  I 
will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people." 
(Jer.  vii:   22,  23.) 

The  prophet  Daniel  held  forth  this  same  strong 


260  RITES     VAIN    COMPARED 

doctrine  to  the  guilty  Nebuchadnezzar:  "Break  off 
thy  sins  by  righteousness,  and  thine  iniquities  by 
showing  mercy  to  the  poor ;  if  it  may  be  a  length- 
ening of  thy  tranquility."     (Dan.  iv:   27.) 

Indeed  thousands  have  gone  through  all  the  sol- 
emn forms  of  religion,  and  yet  have  continued 
enemies  to  God.  However  zealous  we  may  be  in 
professions,  all  is  useless  if  we  lack  self-denial,  ben- 
evolence, humility  and  a  desire  to  do  good.  The 
worship  of  God,  however  decent,  will  not  profit 
those  who  lie,  and  steal,  and  swear,  and  are  drunken, 
and  practice  extortion,  usury,  backbiting,  tale-bear- 
ing and  tyranny.  The  unmerciful  creditor  and  the 
fraudulent  debtor,  who  come  and  stand  before  God 
and  make  either  long  or  short  prayers,  are  an 
offence  to  the  Almighty.  One  may  pay  close  atten- 
tion to  all  the  outward  forms  of  religion  without 
any  genuine  humility,  or  any  spirit  of  true  obedi- 
ence, without  ever  heartily  confessing  or  honestly 
forsaking  a  single  sin. 

The  great  matter  in  religion  is  to  get  the  heart 
right.  Till  that  is  effected,  nothing  is  right.  A 
beautiful  story  is  told  by  the  Rabbins:  "There 
came  to  sacrifice  before  the  Lord  a  poor,  penitent 
Israelite.  He  had  just  risen  from  a  sick  bed,  where 
he  had  lingered  for  many  months,  longing  and 
fainting  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord.  lie  could  now 
scarcely  sustain  his  tottering  limbs;  but  he  came 
'with  the  people  that  kept  holy  day,'  to  witness  the 
m<  ruing  sacrifice.  He  heard  those  delightful  words : 
'Thou  desircst  not  sacrifice,  else  would  I  give  it. 
Thou  delightest  not  iu  burnt  offering.  The  sacri- 
2-3 


WITH    HEARTY    PIETY,    ETC.  2G1 

fices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit;  a  broken  and  a 
contrite  heart,  thou  wilt  not  despise.'  They  were 
like  a  cordial  to  his  sinking  spirit.  The  service 
was  finished.  One  after  another  brought  his  sac- 
rifice, and  was  accepted  and  dismissed;  but  the 
penitent  had  none !  At  length  he  drew  near,  and 
prostrated  himself  before  the  priest ;  *  What  wilt 
thou,  my  son  ?'  said  the  venerable  man ;  *  Hast 
thou  an  offering?'  'No,  my  father,  the  last  night 
a  poor  widow  and  her  children  came  to  me,  and  I 
had  nothing  to  give  her  but  the  two  young  pigeons, 
which  were  ready  for  sacrifice.'  'Bring  then,  an 
ephah  of  line  flour.'  'Nay,  my  father,  but  this 
day,  my  sickness  and  poverty  had  left  only  enough 
for  my  own  starving  children,  and  I  have  not  even 
an  ephah  of  flour.'  '  Why,  then,  art  thou  come  to 
me,  my  son?'  'I  heard  them  sing — 'the  sacrifices 
of  God  are  a  broken  spirit.'  Will  he  not  accept 
mine?     God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner!' 

"The  old  priest  was  melted,  and  the  tears  started 
in  his  eye,  as  he  lifted  the  feeble  man  from  the 
ground.  He  laid  his  hands  upon  his  head. 
'Blessed  be  thou,  my  son!  Thine  offering  is  ac- 
cepted. It  is  better  than  thousands  of  rivers  of 
oil.  Jehovah  make  his  face  to  shine  upon  thee, 
and  give  thee  peace.'" 

IV.  In  Scripture  God  often  declares  his  high 
estimate  of  the  practical  and  spiritual  above  the 
formal  and  ceremonial.  Kindness  to  the  poor  and 
defenceless,  the  widow  and  the  fatherless,  the 
stranger  and  the  oppressed,  is  according  to  Scrip- 
ture more  pleasing  to  God  than  all  religious  rites. 


262  RITES     VAIN    COMPAEED 

Hear  the  decisions  of  his  word:  "As  we  have 
opportunity,  let  U3  do  good  unto  all  men,  especially 
unto  them  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith." 
(Gal.  vi:  10.)  "To  do  good  and  to  communicate, 
forget  not;  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well 
pleased."  (Ileb.  xiii:  16.)  "Pure  religion  and 
undented  before  God,  and  the  Father  is  this,  to  visit 
the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to 
keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world."  (James 
i:  27.)  More  than  once  does  God  reprove  the 
Israelites  for  requiring  widows  and  poor  persons  to 
pledge  their  goods  for  money  lent  them,  or  for 
necessaries  sold  them.  If  a  man  would  please  God, 
let  him  not  adopt  religious  cant ;  but  let  him  so  act 
that  when  the  ear  hears  him,  it  will  bless  him  ;  and 
when  the  eye  sees  him,  it  will  give  witness  to  him. 
Let  him  deliver  the  poor  that  cry,  and  the  father- 
less, and  him  that  hath  none  to  help  him.  Let  the 
blessing  of  him  that  is  ready  to  perish  come  upon 
him ;  and  let  him  cause  the  widow's  heart  to  sing 
for  joy.  Let  him  be  eyes  to  the  blind,  and  feet  to 
the  lame,  and  a  father  to  the  poor.  (Job  xxix :  11- 
16.)  Let  him  not  despise  the  cause  of  his  man- 
servant, or  of  his  maid-servant ;  let  him  not  eat  his 
morsel  alone,  nor  refuse  the  fatherless  a  portion; 
let  him  clothe  the  naked  and  cover  the  poor.  (Job. 
xxxi:  13,  16,  19.) 

V.  There  is  a  great  day  coming  when  all  men  shall 
be  put  upon  trial  involving  their  everlasting  destiny. 
Omniscience  will  preside.  Ko  escape  to  the  guilty 
will  be  possible.  Men's  real  characters  will  then 
come  forth  to  the  gaze  of  the  universe.     On  that 


WITH    HEARTY    PIETY,    ETC.  263 

awful  day,  what  things  will,  and  what  will  not  be 
regarded  by  the  -judge  as  evidence  of  love  to  him? 
He,  from  whose  lips  each  man  shall  receive  the 
award  of  eternal  life  or  eternal  death,  has  said  much 
about  the  points  on  which  destiny  will  depend: 
"Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world:  for  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me 
meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink ;  I  was 
a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in :  naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me :  I  was  sick  and  ye  visited  me ;  I  was 
in  prison  and  ye  came  unto  me."  (Matt,  xxv:  34- 
36.)  Nothing  is  clearer  from  many  Scriptures  than 
that  he  shall  have  judgment  without  mercy,  that 
hath  showed  no  mercy.  (James  ii :  13 ;  2  Sam. 
xxii:   26,  27.     Matt,  v:   7.) 

VI.  All  this  reasoning  and  decision  of  Scripture 
is  right  and  fair.  N"o  wife,  no  husband,  no  parent 
can  be  satisfied  or  ought  to  be  satisfied  with  com- 
pliments  and  civility  the  most  precise  and  abundant, 
if  the  heart  is  wanting.  The  most  careful  attention 
to  solemn  rites  in  religion  may  leave  the  heart  full 
of  pride,  malice,  ambition,  worldliness,  resentment, 
forgetfulnes3,  self-will,  self-esteem  and  self-righte- 
ousness. Men  love  show;  God  claims  the  heart. 
Cain  is  quite  willing  to  do  anything  demanded  in 
the  way  of  mere  ceremony,  provided  he  is  not  called 
upon  to  humble  himself  as  a  sinner  before  God. 
The  scribes  and  pharisces  paid  tithes  of  mint,  anise 
and  cummin,  but  could  not  be  brought  to  give  due 
attention  to  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judg- 
ment, mercy,  faith  and  the  love  of   God.     (Matt. 


264  RITES     VAIN    COMPARED 

xxiii:  23;  xxii:  37-40.)  One  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult tasks  undertaken  by  apostles  themselves  was  to 
teach  the  churches  that  neither  circumcision  nor 
uncircumcision  avaiieth  anything,  but  a  new  crea- 
ture and  faith  which  worketh  by  love.  Gal.  v :  6 ; 
vi:  15.) 

REMARKS. 

1.  Though  men  shall  be  judged  by  their  works, 
yet  they  shall  not  be  justified  for  their  works. 
Grace  and  mercy  alone  save  sinners.  We  do  noth- 
ing to  merit  God's  compassion,  and  yet  every  man 
shall  be  judged  by  his  works.  If  a  man  shall  not 
by  his  deeds  have  proved  his  faith  and  his  love,  the 
Lord  will  judge  that  he  had  neither  of  those  graces. 

2.  ¥e  should  carefully  guard  against  sordidly 
baro-amine;  with  the  Almighty  for  salvation.     Love 

CD  CD  O         v 

is  the  spring  of  all  works  acceptable  to  God.  "Love 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  "Though  I  give  all 
my  goods  to  feed  the  poor  and  have  not  charity,  it 
profiteth  me  nothing." 

3.  When  the  Scriptures  highly  commend  works 
of  mercy  and  kindness  to  the  unfortunate  and 
afflicted  as  forming  a  chief  part  of  the  evidence  in 
one's  favor  at  the  last  day;  they  commend  not  a 
few  isolated  acts,  performed  in  peculiar  circum- 
stances, when  refusal  would  have  covered  one  with 
shame.  A  churl  may  have  permitted  a  traveller  to 
lodge  under  his  roof,  but  a  churl  was  never  "given 
to  hospitality."  No  doubt  Judas  gave  alms,  but  he 
cared  not  for  the  poor.     The  tenor  of  the  life,  not 

23* 


WITH    HEARTY   PIETY,    ETC.  265 

occasional  departures  from  our  old  habits,  must 
determine  the  character.  Peter  once  greatly  sinned, 
but  it  was  not  his  habit  to  deny  his  Master.  None 
more  fearlessly  professed  his  name  at  the  risk  of 
life  itself. 

4.  We  may  now  see  why  some  professors  of 
religion  have  so  little  comfort  in  their  heavenly 
course.  They  do  but  little  good,  and  they  get  but 
little  good.  They  sow  sparingly  and  they  reap 
sparingly.  If  one  would  be  a  bright  and  shining 
light,  he  must  lay  himself  out  to  serve  God  and  his 
generation.  Of  all  Christians  Paul  says:  '"None 
of  us  liveth  to  himself."  Would  you  have  good 
evidence  of  acceptance  with  God  ?  Study  and  pray 
and  labor  to  please  him,  and  to  be  profitable  to  your 
neighbor. 

5.  Beware  of  spoiling  all  your  good  works  by 
indulging  vain  glory  and  the  spirit  of  ostentation. 
Remember  how  sorely  good  Hezekiah  suffered  for 
displaying  the  treasures  of  his  kingdom.  If  possi- 
ble, let  not  your  left  hand  know  what  your  right 
hand  doeth.  One  reason  for  this  rule  is  that  the 
feelings  of  the  beneficiary  may  be  spared. 

6.  Proper  observation  and  reflection  will  probably 
satisfy  any  one  that  ordinarily  it  is  best  for  every 
man  to  distribute  his  own  charity  during  his  natural 
life.  Testamentary  bequests  are  often  of  doubtful 
character.  In  this  land  they  seldom  effect  the  ob- 
ject of  the  testator ;  or  if  they  do,  it  is  often  at  a 
great  expense  to  the  feelings  of  those  appointed 
almoners.  Greedy  relatives  commonly  seize  upon 
all  they  can  get.     Nor  does  it  look  well  for  one  to 


266  RITE3     VAIN    COMPARED 

hold  on  to  his  possessions  as  long  as  he  lives,  and 
then  hinder  his  poor  kindred  from  enjoying  them 
by  giving  them  to  something  perhaps  designed  to 
perpetuate  his  memory.  Deny  thyself,  not  thy  poor 
heirs  at  law,  is  the  Scripture  rule  for  entering  into 
life. 

7.  What  a  happy  world  this  would  be  if  true 
religion,  as  described  in  the  Bible,  universally  pre- 
vailed. If  every  man  met  in  every  other  man  a 
brother  and  a  friend,  if  the  holy  law  of  honor, 
truth,  justice  and  mercy  were  in  full  force,  if  prayers 
and  alms  came  up  for  a  memorial  before  God  from 
all  the  inhabitants  of  earth,  the  joyful  proclamation 
might  be  made:  "The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
men."  No  infidelity,  no  atheism,  no  form  of  error 
could  long  hold  out  against  such  holiness.  The 
church  would  be  clear  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon, 
and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.  God  would 
soon  subdue  her  enemies  under  her.  Tears  and 
wailings  of  the  children  of  sorrow  would  cease  to 
cry  for  vengeance  on  their  unfeeling  fellows.  The 
work  of  God  would  go  on  rapidly  until  the  king- 
doms of  the  world  should  become  the  kingdoms 
of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ.  From  widows  and 
orphans  would  be  heard  the  voice  of  thanksgiv- 
ing and  melody.  Those  who  are  now  bound  in 
affliction  and  iron  would  come  forth  rejoicing.  The 
dying  mother  would  no  longer  speak  of  leaving  her 
babe  to  the  cold  charities  of  the  world.  There  would 
be  bread  enough  and  to  spare;  and  the  reproach 
of  ages  against  religion  would  be  gone.  An  outcry 
against  godliness  would  then  be  but  impotent  malice, 


WITn   HEARTY   TIETY,    ETC.  2G7 

the  barking  of  dogs  against  the  lights  of  heaven, 
the  foaming  of  waves  against  eternal  rocks. 

8.  This  discussion  forces  upon  us  the  conclusion 
that  considering  the  amount  of  religious  profession, 
there  is  but  little  genuine  piety  in  the  world.  Form, 
fashion,  feeling  will  save  no  man.  There  must  be 
religious  principle.  There  must  be  holy  living. 
Godliness  and  mercy  must  enter  into  the  vitals  of 
character.  True  religion  is  something  very  different 
from  popular  belief.  So  far  as  we  truly  love  God  and 
are  kind  towards  man,  we  are  Christians ;  but  no 
farther. 

9.  Let  us  search  and  try  our  ways,  and  turn 
again  unto  the  Lord.  Let  us  confess  our  faults  one 
to  another  and  pray  one  for  another.  Let  us  break 
off  our  sins  by  righteousness  and  by  shewing  mercy 
to  the  poor.  Let  us  see  not  how  miserable  but  how 
happy  we  can  make  every  body  around  us.  Let  us 
weep  and  mourn  before  God.  Let  us  never  rest 
till  we  renew  our  hope  in  the  blood  of  atonement, 
in  the  great  Sacrifice  of  Calvary. 

10.  How  guilty  are  sinners !  If  God  asked  them 
to  do  some  great  thing,  especially  something  that 
would  distinguish  themselves,  how  soon  would  they 
do  it !  But  when  he  says,  Repent,  believe,  obey, 
accept  the  grace  freely  offered,  and  then  as  you  have 
received  mercy,  show  mercy  to  others,  they  reject 
the  salvation  of  the  gospel.  Such  perverseness 
must  meet  with  sore  reprehension. 


268  INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

INSTABILITY    IN    RELIGION. 

Human  nature,  without  divine  grace,  is  the  same 
from  age  to  age.  Depravity  has  no  new  forms. 
What  has  been  is  still.  One  class  of  men  are  a 
great  grief  to  the  pious,  particularly  to  godly  minis- 
ters. They  are  those,  who  awaken  hopes  only  to  dis- 
appoint them.  At  times  they  are  serious,  but  soon 
they  are  as  thoughtless  as  ever.  Their  convictions 
are  sometimes  strong  but  they  are  transient.  They 
form  good  resolutions  but  they  break  them.  They 
make  vows  and  forget  them.  They  turn  their  faces 
towards  Zion,  but,  like  Lot's  wife,  they  look  back. 
This  is  a  practical  subject  and  affects  many.  Let  us 
look  at  it  in  order. 

I.  Transient  and  temporary  religious  impres- 
sions are  common  to  many. — In  fact  lew  if  any 
unconverted  men  are  wholly  without  them.  Pha- 
raoh was  often  deeply  impressed.  He  even  asked 
God's  ministers  to  pray  for  him,  and  made  a  very 
proper  confession:  "I  have  sinned  this  time  ;  the 
Lord  is  righteous,  and  I  and  my  people  are  wicked." 
(Ex.  ix  :  27.)  Yet  he  waxed  worse  and  worse  until 
he  perished  in  the  Red  Sea.     So  of  Ahab,  who 


INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION.  269 

abounded  in  daring  iniquity.  Yet  this  guilty  prince 
was  not  without  many  deep  and  pungent  impressions. 
When  afraid  of  coming  judgments,  he  assumed  the 
attitude  of  a  penitent,  "rent  his  clothes,  and  put 
sackcloth  upon  his  flesh,  and  fasted,  and  lay  in  sack- 
cloth, and  went  softly."  Nor  was  all  this  sheer 
hypocrisy.  Ahab  was  really  alarmed.  He  had  a 
sense  of  guilt.  His  humility  was  real,  though  it 
was  not  evangelical.  God  himself  said,  "Seest 
thou  Ahab,  how  he  humbleth  himself  before  me  ?" 
But  he  soon  reverted  to  his  old  sins.  He  hated  the 
true  prophets  and  sinned  with  the  greatest  greedi- 
ness, until  at  length  he  ended  his  days  miserably, 
and  the  dogs  licked  up  his  blood  as  they  had 
licked  up  the  blood  of  innocent  men,  his  victims. 
Learn  a  lesson  from  the  history  of  king  Saul, 
of  Herod  to  whom  the  Baptist  preached,  of  Simon 
Magus,  who  asked  Peter  to  pray  for  him,  and  of 
Demas,  who  once  sent  salutations  to  the  churches. 
All  of  these  were  the  subjects  of  serious  impres- 
sions ;  but  none  of  them  had  any  steadfastness  of 
character. 

Two  of  the  four  descriptions  of  persons  mentioned 
in  the  parable  of  the  sower  illustrate  the  same  truth. 

In  our  own  day,  observation  painfully'  confirms 
these  general  views.  God  sends  sorrows  on  men,  or 
families,  or  nations;  their  spirits  are  somewhat 
broken  ;  they  think  of  the  past ;  a  sense  of  ill- 
desert  takes  possession  of  them ;  they  open  the 
Bible  ;  they  read ;  they  go  to  the  house  of  God ; 
they  are  sad  ;  they  send  for  their  religious  friends  ; 
they  converse  with  them  ;    they  determine  to  for- 


270  INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION. 

sake  some  sin ;  they  resolve  to  pray — perhaps  they 
do  pray.  But  soon  all  comes  to  nothing.  A  few 
years  or  months  or  weeks  end  all  their  concern. 
They  are  no  more  affected.  They  are  calm  and 
quiet.  Like  the  hypocrites  of  whom  Job  speaks, 
they  do  not  always  call  upon  God,  but  reserve  prayer 
for  seasons  of  great  distress.  They  become  shy  of 
religious  people.  They  go  back  to  their  old  habits. 
Some  years  since  a  pastor  made  this  record  of  one 
of  his  people  :  ' '  He  was  sick — he  was  near  unto 
death — and  the  world  was  receding  from  him — and 
hope  was  like  a  dying  taper — and  sore  as  was  the 
body's  agony,  it  was  not  like  that  pang  the  soul  felt 
when  the  prospect  of  parting  was  before  it,  and  the 
remembrance  of  the  sunny  clay  and  starry  night, 
and  spring  with  all  its  awakened  beauties,  and  the 
charm  of  friendship,  and  the  exultant  feeling  of 
health,  and  the  comfort  of  home  and  all  that  en- 
chains to  life,  all  to  be  left  behind,  came  to  his 
heart.  Oh !  it  was  a  confused  mingling  of  pain 
and  regret  and  dread.  All  was  dark — all  was  wild. 
He  '  mourned  sore  like  the  dove — he  chattered  like 
the  swallow.'  Then  he  cried  unto  God  and  peti- 
tioned Jesus.  And  when  his  strength  failed,  he 
moaned  a  piteous  prayer,  and  said,  '  Oh,  if  I  might 
be  spared,  if  God  would  but  raise  me  up,  I  would 
sin  no  more,  I  would  never  forget  his  goodness.  I 
would  be  faithful,  and  my  whole  life  should  be  a  de- 
monstration of  my  thankfulness.'  God  heard  and 
raised  him  up,  and  once  more  he  went  forth  to  the 
world.  But  the  promise  he  made  to  his  Maker,  he  for- 
got ;  and  in  the  oath,  wherewith  be  bound  his  soul,  he 


INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION.  271 

perjured  himself,  and  when  one  reminded  him  of  that 
which  should  have  burned  upon  his  memory,  he  smiled. 
<  My  soul,  come  thou  not  into  his  secret,  mine  honor, 
be  thou  not  joined  to  his  assembly.'  "  How  often 
does  "ease  retract  vows  made  in  pain  as  violent  and 
void."  "What  godly  pastor  has  more  painful  solici- 
tude or  greater  anguish,  than  when  he  sees  those, 
for  whose  salvation  he  labors,  forgetting  their  vows 
and  promises  made  in  sickness,  or  in  other  distress. 
They  may  not  smile  at  the  mention  of  their  past 
sorrows  and  engagements.  But  they  forget  their 
anguish  and  break  their  vows.  They  are  "very 
gracious  when  the  pangs  are  upon  them  ;"  but  they 
soon  forget  God  that  saved  them  from  their  troubles. 
All  over  the  land  many  have  often  felt  deeply 
under  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Tears  have 
dropped  from  their  eyes,  and  they  have  gone  away, 
and  been  ashamed  that  they  had  wept.  They  al- 
most formed,  perhaps  they  expressed  the  purpose, 
heartily  to  serve  the  Lord.  It  has  seemed  to  them 
foolish,  dangerous  and  wicked  longer  to  defer 
solemn  attention  to  their  souls'  affairs.  To  them 
time  has  justly  appeared  short,  eternity  near,  and 
the  s  ul  of  priceless  value.  To  them  religion  has 
seemed  to  be  a  good  thing — the  one  thing  needful. 
Their  affections  have  been  moved.  Unusual  sol- 
emnity has  come  over  them.  But  for  fear  or  shame 
they  would  have  asked,  "What  must  we  do  to  be 
saved  ?"  The  stillness,  the  close  attention  to  preach- 
ing, and  occasionally  the  silent  tear  show  what  is 
going  on.  To  many  the  word  of  God  proves  a  dis- 
cerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of   their  hearts. 


272  INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION. 

Some  are  cut  to  the  heart,  and  feel  that  they  must 
do  one  of  three  things,  either  give  up  their  sins  and 
submit  to  God,  or  cease  to  frequent  the  house  of 
God,  or  find  out  some  new  method  of  controlling 
their  feelings.  After  almost  every  revival  of  reli- 
gion, we  find  members  tracing  their  first  impressions 
back  to  times  when  the  ways  of  Zion  languished, 
but  when  the  gospel  was  still  faithfully  preached. 
The  course  of  many  is  that  of  mad  men.  God 
loudly  calls  ;  they  stubbornly  refuse.  Sinner,  sin- 
ner, is  it  not  so  ? 

What  shall  be  the  result?  "Will  you  awake  out 
of  sleep,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  that  Christ  may 
give  you  life? 

II.    All  impressions  and  excitements  of  mind 

ON  RELIGIOUS  MATTERS,  WHICH  ARE  THUS  SHORT- 
LIVED, ARE    WITHOUT    ANY   SAVING    EFFICACY. To    all 

such  inconstant  souls  God  says,  "  What  shall  I  do 
unto  you?"  (q.  d.)  I  cannot  approve  you — lean- 
not  count  you  as  my  friends — yea,  you  deserve  my 
frown  and  red — you  mock  me  and  trifle  with  me — 
what  punishment  is  too  great  for  such?  "  Ye  have 
wearied  me."  "  I  am  pressed  under  you."  To  all 
such  God  says:  "Be  not  deceive  1,  for  God  is  not 
mocked,"  that  is,  God  will  not  suffer  himself  to  be 
trifled  with.  Speaking  of  such  Peter  says:  "If 
after  they  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world 
through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein,  and' 
overcome,  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  at 
the  beginning,  for  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to 
24  ^ 


INSTABILITY   IN   RELIGION.  273 

have  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than  after  they 
have  known  it  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment  de- 
livered unto  them.  But  it  is  happened  unto  them, 
according  to  the  true  proverb,  The  dog  is  turned 
to  his  vomit  again,  and  the  sow  that  was  washed, to 
her  wallowing  in  the  mire.  (2  Pet.  ii :  20-22.) 
In  the  state  of  such  persons  there  is  something  ex- 
ceedingly alarming  and  dreadful.  Their  latter  end 
is  worse  than  their  beginning.  And  yet  their  be- 
ginning was  under  the  curse  and  pollution  of  origi- 
nal sin.  They  were  "  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath  even  as  others."  But  their  latter  end  is  still 
worse.  All  serious  impressions,  all  convictions  of 
sin,  all  resolutions  of  amendment,  all  sound  reli- 
gious instructions — not  ending  in  a  scriptural  con- 
version to  God,  sink  the  soul  under  heavier  guilt 
and  into  deeper  ruin.  They,  and  only  they,  "  that 
endure  to  the  end  shall  be  saved." 

,"  The  fearful  soul,  that  tires  and  faints, 
And  walks  the  wajTs  of  God  no  more, 
Is  hut  esteemed  almost  a  saint, 
And  makes  his  own  destruction  sure." 

Wo  temporary  religious  impression  is  saving. 

HI.    All  considerations  proper  to  such  a  sub- 
ject  URGE   US   TO   STABILITY   AND   PERSEVERANCE  IN  A 

religious  course. — The  transcendent  importance  of 
religion  itself  demands  our  whole  hearts  during  our 
entire  lives.  If  religion  is  any  thing  it  is  every 
thing.  If  it  is  of  the  least  importance,  it  is  of  infi- 
nite moment.  If  it  is  worthy  of  a  thought,  it  claims 
the  highest  degree  of  attention.     If  man  has  a  soul 


274  INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION. 

that  shall  outlive  the  blazing  sun  in  the  heavens,  no 
effort  to  save  it  can  be  too  great,  too  resolute,,  too 
persevering.  Though  an  infidel,  yet  Hume  had  the 
sagacity  to  see,  and  the  candor  to  say,  that  admit- 
ting the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  damnation  in 
Scripture  threatened  against  one  wicked  man  was  a 
greater  evil  than  the  destruction  of  a  thousand  ma- 
terial worlds.  He  spoke  correctly.  It  is  an  un- 
varying rule  of  wisdom  to  attend  to  our  interests 
according  to  their  relative  importance.  But  what 
interest  rises  to  such  amazing  magnitude  as  the  sal- 
vation of  the  soul  ?  One  soul  is  worth  millions  on 
millions  of  worlds.  In  the  pursuits  of  literature,  of 
science,  of  gain,  or  of  ambition,  our  zeal  and  devo- 
tion may  easily  be  excessive.  Not  so  in  scriptural 
endeavors  to  save  the  soul.  The  prize  for  which  we 
run  is  worthy  of  all  diligence,  of  all  sacrifices,  of  all 
earnestness.  To  save  the  soul,  the  eternal  Son  of 
God  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto 
the  death  of  the  cross.  The  value  of  the  soul  does 
not  vary.  "Why  should  our  efforts  to  save  it  be 
vacillating  ?  In  the  bloom  of  youth,  in  the  cares  of 
middle  life,  in  the  infirmities  of  old  age,  in  public 
and  in  private,  in  sickness  and  in  health,  our  souls 
are  always  of  infinite  value.  Should  not  our  efforts 
then  be  persevering  ?  Oh  that  men  would  ask  the 
price  before  they  barter  away  their  souls  for  toys, 
their  eternal  life  for  fleeting  joys,  the  hope  of 
glory  for  the  hope  that  maketh  ashamed. 

Nor  are  the  dangers  and  difficulties  in  our  way  so 
variable  as  to  justify  relaxation  in  vigilance  and  fer- 
vor.    The  enemies  of  our  souls  are  cunning,  nume- 


INSTABILITY   IN   RELIGION.  275 

rous  and  powerful.  Nor  can  we  tell  the  day  or  the 
hour  of  sorest  trial,  for  the  peril  is  often  greatest 
when  we  are  least  apprehensive.  Carnal  security  is 
a  dangerous  and  alarming  token  for  evil.  In  view 
of  our  dangers  and  enemies,  inspired  men  say  : 
"Be  vigilant,  be  sober,  for  your  adversary  the 
devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  goeth  about  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour." 

Nor  should  we  forget  that  the  principles  and 
claims  of  the  divine  government  are  the  same,  and 
therefore  our  service  should  be  zealous  and  constant 
at  all  times.  Whatever  our  obligations  were  to 
God  yesterday,  the  same  are  they  to-day,  and  the 
same  shall  they  be  for  ever.  There  are  no  days  set 
apart  by  God  for  the  indulgence  of  carelessness  or 
of  any  other  sin.  To  the  pious  soul  his  service  is 
the  keeping  of  a  jubilee.  All  other  service  is 
bondage  and  drudgery.  It  is  therefore  merciful  as 
well  as  just  in  him  to  hold  us  firmly  and  perpetually 
bound  to  cleave  unto  him  with  purpose  of  heart.  In 
no  way  can  we  escape  his  service  for  an  hour  but  by 
desertion  and  dereliction.  We  owe  him  all  we  have 
and  are.  Nor  can  our  sacrifices  for  him  ever  be 
equal  to  his  claims  upon  us.  No  good  man  ever 
desires  a  discharge  from  his  obligations  perpetually 
to  love  and  obey.  Whatever  cause  the  godly  man 
has  to  be  pleased  with  the  character  of  God,  the 
person  of  Christ,  the  work  of  the  Spirit  and  the 
duties  of  religion,  is  permanent.  There  is  no  rea- 
son why  he  should  be  much  engaged  in  religion  to- 
day, and  heartless  in  it  to-morrow. 

The  very  nature  of  a  religious  profession  implies 


276  INSTABILITY    IN    RELIGION. 

the  same  thing.  Christ  authorizes  the  enlistment  of 
no  men  in  his  service  for  a  hundred  days,  for  six 
months,  or  for  a  term  of  years.  Once  a  Christian, 
always  a  Christian  is  the  law  of  enrollment.  "  The 
righteous  shall  hold  on  his  way."  'Tis  the  hypocrite 
that  follows  the  Lord,  but  not  fully.  'Tis  the  self- 
deceiver  that  makes  some  reserve.  'Tis  the  double- 
minded  that  intends  by  and  by  to  take  his  fill  of 
sinful  delights.  The  man,  whose  heart  is  really  en- 
gaged to  God,  asks  the  privilege  of  offering  himself 
a  whole  burnt-offering.     His  language  is  : 

E'en  if  I  might  make  some  reserve, 

And  duty  did  not  call ; 
I  love  my  God  with  zeal  so  great, 

That  I  would  give  him  all. 

The  spurious  professor  intends  to  do  as  little  as 
possible,  because  he  acts  by  constraint.  The  gen- 
uine follower  of  Christ  desires  to  withhold  nothing 
because  he  is  impelled  by  love. 

Continually  recurring  mercies  call  for  our  best 
services.     There  is  excellent  theology  in  the  couplet  : 

Streams  of  mercy  never  ceasing 
Call  for  songs  of  loudest  praise. 

A  sense  of  the  hourly  goodness  of  God  seems  to 
have  taken  possession  of  David.  He  said  his  devo- 
tions should  be  paid  <  morning,  noon  and  night.' 
And  as  though  that  were  not  enough  he  said : 
"  Seven  times  a  day  will  I  praise  thee."  A  heart 
in  such  a  mood  would  not  waver  like  a  wave  of  the 
sea.  Its  course  would  be  steady  and  onward.  "To 
be  afraid  of  a  little  sin,  to  be  conscientious  about 
little  duties,  and  to  be  thankful  for  small  mercies 
24* 


INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION.  277 

are  good  evidence  that  we  are  in  a  gracious  state." 
Nor  is  a  true  Christian  at  any  loss  to  find  mercies 
both  great  and  small.  They  are  scattered  all  along 
his  path.  "By  reason  of  use  his  senses  are  exercised 
to  discern  tokens  of  the  Lord's  kindness  through 
life."  Load  him  with  chains  and  he  is  thankful 
that  the  throne  of  grace  is  accessible.  Feed  him 
on  the  plainest  food,  and  he  blesses  Gocl  that  his 
bread  and  his  water  are  sure.  Shut  him  up  in  a  dark 
dungeon,  and  he  sings:  "The  Lord  is  a  sun  and  a 
shield.  He  will  give  grace  and  glory;  and  no  good 
thing  will  be  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly." 
Such  a  man  will  find  new  and  mighty  motives  to 
cheerful  and  persevering  obedience  in  the  darkest 
hour  and  under  the  thickest  clouds.  In  the  night 
season  God  will  be  his  song.  His  meditation  of  the 
Most  High  will  be  sweet. 

Thus  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  more  the  pious 
man  knows  of  God  and  his  service,  the  more  is  he 
pleased  with  them.  Nothing  offends  him.  No 
commandment  of  God  is  grievous  to  him.  Even 
the  work  of  self-denial,  by  reason  of  use  and  the 
help  of  grace,  becomes  pleasant.  Flesh  and  blood 
rebel ;  but  grace  triumphs. 

REMARKS. 

1.  Immortal  soul,  what  is  the  character  of  your 
religious  impressions  ?  Are  they  stable  ?  Are  they 
transient  ?  Are  you  dying  unto  sin  ?  Are  you  alive 
unto  righteousness?     Are  you   strengthened  with 


278  INSTABILITY   IN    RELIGION. 

might  in  the  inner  man  ?  Is  yottr  profession  unwav- 
ering? Are  yonr  convictions  of  personal  unworthi- 
ness  deeper  and  deeper  ?  Do  you  wish  them  to  be 
deeper  still  ?  Has  yonr  former  seriousness  of  char- 
acter given  way  to  levity  ?  Do  you  often  and  sol- 
emnly think  of  eternity  ?  Has  your  liveliness  in  re- 
ligion been  followed  by  dull  formality?  Is  your 
goodness  like  a  morning  cloud  ?  or  is  it  like  the  ris- 
ing sun  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day  ?  These  are  solemn  questions.  Be  honest  with 
yourself  and  upright  with  God  in  your  answers.  On 
what  rest  your  hopes  for  eternity  ? 

2.  And,  now,  unconverted  man,  do  you  not  see 
the  worthlessness  of  much  that  you  have  been  trust- 
ing in  as  a  ground  of  hope  ?  Your  occasional 
twinges  of  remorse  are  no  substitute  for  abiding 
spiritual  convictionof  sin.  Your  temporary  parox- 
ysms of  grief  for  sin  can  never  take  the  place  of 
ingenuousgodly  sorrow.  For  some  of  your  grosser 
faults,  when  exposed  or  reproved,  you  have  been 
ashamed  for  a  time ;  but  that  will  avail  nothing  un- 
less you  "  remember,  and  are  confounded,  and  never 
open  your  mouth  any  more  because  of  your  shame, 
when  the  Lord  is  pacified  toward  you  for  all  that 
you  have  done."  (Ezek.  xvi:  63.)  Prayers  you 
have  doubtless  at  some  time  offered,  but  they  will  do 
you  no  good  unless  you  have  a  heart  to  "pray  always 
with  all  prayer  in  the  Spirit,  and  to  watch  thereunto 
with  all  perseverance."  Efforts  you  may  have  made 
to  save  your  soul.  But  such  efforts !  so  fitful,  so 
sluggish,  so  unproductive  of  lasting  good.  He, 
who  in  the  study  of  any  science,  or  the  practice  of 


INSTABILITY   IN   RELIGION.  279 

any  art,  or  profession,  should  imitate  your  efforts  in 
religion,  yourself  being  judge,  would  be  guilty  of 
superlative  folly.  Come  forth  at  last,  and  give  your 
heart  to  God.  "  Then  ye  shall  seek  me  and  find  me, 
when  ye  search  for  me  with  all  your  hearts."  You 
must  sell  all  that  you  have,  if  you  would  buy  the  pearl 
of  great  price.  God  forbid  that  on  any  subject  the 
Lord's  ministers  should  deceive  you.  But  when  all 
is  at  stake,  when  the  salvation  of  the  undying  soul 
is  directly  involved,  deception  is  cruel  murder.  It 
is  but  common  honesty  to  say  to  you  that  if  you  love 
father,  mother,  husband,  wife,  son,  daughter,  ease, 
houses,  lands  or  life  more  than  Christ,  you  cannot 
be  saved  ;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
it.  0  ye,  whose  goodness  is  as  the  morning  cloud 
and  the  early  dew,  come  and  make  an  everlasting 
covenant  with  God  that  shall  never,  no  never,  no 
never  be  forgotten.  Come  and  embark  for  life,  for 
eternity  in  the  best  of  causes,  under  the  best  of  mas- 
ters, and  with  the  sure  hope  of  the  best  of  rewards. 


280  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN. 


CHAPTER  XXL 


THE  FALLS  OF  GOOD  MEN. 


There  is  much  said  in  the  Bible  about  standing 
and  falling.  To  stand  is  to  endure, 'be  steadfast,  or 
gain  the  final  victory.  To  fall  is  to  lose  ground, 
lapse  into  sin,  or  perish. 

The  lapses  of  God's  professed  friends  present  a 
mournful  subject  of  contemplation.  But  sad  as  it 
is,  it  may  do  us  good  to  reflect  upon  it. 

I.  Professors  of  religion,  and  even  good  men 
may  openly  and  shamefully  sin. — It  is  not  surpris- 
ing that  false  professors  should  fall  into  sin.  They 
have  no  religious  principle  to  sustain  them.  It  is  a 
wonder  that  they  give  so  little  pain  and  trouble  to 
tbc  church  as  they  often  do.  Take  the  case  of  De- 
mas.  For  a  long  time  and  in  considerable  peril,  he 
professed  the  faith  of  Jesus.  He  seemed  ardently 
attached  to  the  person  of  Paul  and  to  the  doctrine 
of  the  Gospel.  He  was  associated  with  the  pious 
Luke.  He  united  with  others  in  sending  greetings 
to  the  Colossian  church.  All  this  looked  very  well. 
Yet  in  a  time  of  no  peculiar  danger,  when  the 
church  had  comparative  rest  from  persecution,  sud- 
denly he  forsook  Paul,  being  overcome  by  covctous- 
ness.  Tradition  says  he  became  a  priest  in  a  heathen 
temple,  where  he  could  get  gain.     It  is  wonderful 


THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN.  281 

that  he  did  not  much  sooner  manifest  his  worldly 
spirit.  Unhallowed  nature  may  go  very  far  in  its 
professions,  and  yet  may  fall  away  without  any 
strong  temptation.  We  are  poor  creatures.  Our 
strength  is  weakness ;  our  wisdom  folly.  We  have 
no  might  to  do  good.  Any  church  may  have  a 
Demas.  He  who  has  not  the  root  of  the  matter  in 
him  may  at  any  time  fail  in  his  profession. 

But  truly  pious  people  also  may  fall  into  open  and 
shameful  sin.  God  has  given  us  many  and  solemn 
warnings  on  this  subject.  We  are  commanded  to 
give  the  more  earnest  heed  to  these  things,  lest  at 
any  time  we  should  let  them  slip  ;  to  be  sober  and 
to  be  vigilant ;  to  watch  and  pray  lest  we  enter  into 
temptation.  We  are  even  exhorted  not  to  talk 
about  some  things.  The  bare  mention  of  them 
might  excite  to  sin.  Many  Scriptures  urge  precau- 
tion and  carefulness  and  circumspection.  It  was  a 
merciful  arrangement  in  Israel  that  as  the  passover 
was  to  be  celebrated  with  unleavened  bread,  the 
Jews  were  not  allowed  to  keep  leavened  bread  in 
their  houses,  nay  nor  even  leaven  itself,  lest  they 
should  be  tempted  to  make  fermented  bread  and  so 
transgress  the  ordinance  of  their  God. 

To  put  the  matter  beyond  all  doubt,  the  Bible 
gives  us  instances  in  which  good  men  have  wounded 
their  consciences  and  given  gainsay  era  a  weapon 
against  religion.  The  Bible  tells  us  of  the  drunk- 
enness of  Noah  and  of  Lot,  of  the  prevarication  of 
Abraham,  of  the  deception  of  Jacob,  of  the  sins  of 
Moses,  of  Eli,  of  David  and  of  Solomon.  The 
New  Testament  informs  us  of  grievous  disorders  in 


282  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN. 

different  churches,  especially  in  Galatia  and  at  Cor- 
inth. Even  good  men  in  the  enjoyment  of  high 
privileges  may  greatly  err.  They  may  fall  from  the 
truth.     They  may  err  from  the  right  ways  of  God. 

II.  There  are  reasons  why  God  permits  his 
people  thus  to  FALL. — One  is  that  he  may  destroy 
their  spiritual  pride.  This  is  a  great  foe  to  grace 
and  to  God.  Men  may  even  say  that  pride  ill  be- 
comes them,  that  they  have  nothing  to  be  proud  of, 
and  that  they  ought  to  lie  in  the  very  dust  and  cry, 
Unclean.  Yet  the  approaches  of  pride  are  so  insidi- 
ous, that  even  good  men  are  sometimes  terribly  under 
its  influence.  When  this  is  so,  it  is  frequently  unavail- 
ing to  warn  them  with  words.  Therefore  to  save 
their  souls,  God  withdraws  his  supporting  hand,  and 
lets  them  go,  and  down  they  come.  Because  the 
heart  was  lifted  up,  God  fills  it  with  labor  and  sor- 
row. Thus  "when  pride  cometh,  then  cometh 
shame."  (Prov.  xi:  2.)  "Pride  goeth  before  de- 
struction and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall."  (Prov. 
xvi :  18.)  It  is  a  great  thing  when  we  go  astray, 
that  God  fills  the  soul  with  its  own  ways  and  makes 
it  hate  itself  for  its  want  of  humility.  The  Lord  is 
determined  to  stain,  mar  and  bring  down  the  pride  of 
man.  (Isa.  xxiii:  9;  xxv :  11;  Jer.  xiii :  19.) 
Sooner  or  later  he  will  do  it.  If  he  has  purposes 
of  mercy  towards  us,  he  will  adopt  painful  remedies 
if  mild  ones  will  not  answer.  The  work  of  sancti- 
fication  cannot  go  on  in  any  heart  where  spiritual 
pride  reigns.  To  destroy  such  evil  in  the  heart, 
God  sometimes  lets  the  proud  fall. 


THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN.  283 

The  falls  of  Christians  are  sometimes  permitted 
to  destroy  their  self-confidence.  This  is  strikingly 
illustrated  in  the  history  of  Peter.  He  was  not 
willing,  even  for  a  moment,  to  doubt  his  own  firm- 
ness and  constancy.  The  like  often  happens  to 
others  who  trust  in  themselves  that  they  are  strong, 
or  faithful,  or  courageous.  "  When  Ephraim  spake 
trembling,  he  exalted  himself  in  Israel ;  but  when 
he  offended  in  Baal,  he  died."  (Hos.  xiii:  1.) 
"He  that  trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool."  God 
will  teach  men  that  lesson,  cost  what  it  may.  Some 
good  men,  however,  are  of  so  sanguine  a  tempera- 
ment and  are  so  much  inclined  to  a  secret  leaning 
on  their  own  virtues,  resolves  and  energies,  that 
severe  and  painful  lessons  are  necessary  thoroughly 
to  put  them  on  their  guard.  It  is  a  great  mercy 
when  the  Lord  teaches  us  habitually  to  feel  that  no 
flesh  shall  glory  in  his  presence,  and  that  whatever 
good  is  in  us,  is  the  fruit  of  divine  grace.  The 
self-confident  do  not  relish  those  statements  of 
Scripture  which  make  them  take  shame  to  them- 
selves, and  give  glory  to  God;  such  as,  "What  I 
am,  I  am  by  the  grace  of  God;"  "The  weak 
brother  shall  be  holden  up;  for  God  is  able  to 
make  him  stand;"  "Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to 
keep  you  from  falling  and  to  present  you  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy ; 
to  the  only  wise  God,  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and 
majesty,  dominion  and  power  both  now  and  ever." 
The  self-confident  knows  not  half  the  sweetness  of 
such  Scriptures;  but  if  other  measures  fail  it 
is  kind    in  God    to   let  them  fall,   that  they  may 


284  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN. 

learn  to  look  away  from   self  to  the  God  of  all 
grace. 

Sometimes  God  permits  his  people  to  fall  that  he 
may  teach  them  more  fully  to  give  up  the  world. 
Even  good  people  may  attempt  to  form  alliances  so 
that  they  may  receive  the  praises  and  smiles  and 
advantages  of  worldly  men.  In  vain  are  they 
warned  that  it  is  impossible  to  serve  both  God  and 
Mammon,  to  hold  fast  the  friendship  of  the  world 
and  the  favor  of  God.  They  vainly  think  they  see 
a  middle  way  whereby  they  may  secure  the  good  of 
both  worlds.  They  court  the  world ;  it  smiles  ; 
then  they  yield  a  little  ;  thus  matters  proceed  until 
they  find  theni3elves  enthralled  and  the  ungodly 
laughing  at  their  weakness  and  contemning  their 
piety.  It  is  sad  indeed  when  the  children  of  God 
so  walk  as  to  mar  their  profession  by  an  exposure 
of  their  cupidity  and  by  rendering  their  integrity 
doubtful.  At  such  times  conscience  is  severely 
wounded.  But  it  is  better  to  have  our  sins  exposed 
here  than  when  it  is  too  late. 

Sometimes  God  permits  his  people  to  fall  that  he 
may  make  them  tender  and  charitable  towards  their 
brethren.  When  a  professor  is  harsh  towards  an 
offending  but  apparently  penitent  brother,  he  is 
committing  a  real  sin  and  may  soon  fall  into  even  a 
greater  error.  When  men  will  not  show  forgive- 
ness to  others  till  they  are  painfully  made  to  feel 
the  need  of  it  themselves,  it  is  a  mercy  in  God  by 
any  means  to  work  in  them  kindness  of  heart. 
TiH'haritable  tempers  prove  any  one  far  out  of  the 
way.     As   no  man   is  more  often ded  by  pride  in 


THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN.  285 

others  than  the  proud  themselves ;  so  no  man  needs 
a  kind  construction  of  his  conduct  more  than  he 
who  is  slow  to  show  pity.  If  God  loves  such,  he 
will  make  them  sensible  of  their  own  errors.  In 
some  effectual  manner  he  will  teach  them  their  vile- 
ness,  insufficiency  and  need  of  pity  both  from  God 
and  man.  i 

The  same  tenor  of  remark  may  be  applied  to  any 
sin  under  the  power  of  which  one  is  brought.  God 
lets  some  fall  to  cure  their  distrust  in  Jehovah,  their 
forgetfulness  of  him,  their  ingratitude  for  his  mer- 
cies, their  covering  of  their  own  iniquities,  their 
selfishness  and  unchristian  timidity.  It  seems  like 
a  strange  course  to  let  a  man  get  worse  in  order  to 
make  him  well ;  yet  some  are  slow  to  send  for  the 
Great  Physician  till  they  see  that  they  are  ready  to 
perish.  Some  will  not  let  Christ  put  to  death  their 
lusts  till  they  become  outbreaking.  Such  a  course 
of  treatment  is  very  painful.  Every  good  man 
who  has  had  experience  in  this  thing  has  found  it 
so.  Waters  of  a  full  cup  were  wrung  out  to  him. 
He  was  made  to  smart  for  his  transgressions.  He 
was  a  loathino;  to  himself.  His  bones  were  broken. 
Some  have  lain  deserted  by  God  for  a  long  time ; 
and  some  seem  never  to  have  recovered  their  reli- 
gious happiness  to  the  day  of  death.  Yet  this  was 
better  than  to  live  in  sin  till  one  should  stumble  on 
the  dark  mountains. 

Another  reason  why  God  permits  his  people  to 
fall  is  that  the  wicked  may  have  an  opportunity  to 
exhibit  their  true  characters.  On  such  occasions 
they  speak  reproachfully,  and  ordinarily  utter  much 


286  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN. 

wickedness.  The  clay  of  judgment  will  show  how 
perverse,  profane  and  malignant  have  been  their 
speeches  at  such  times.  God  proved  Pharaoh  by 
the  plagues  of  Egypt ;  God  proves  all  men  by  his 
prolonged  mercies ;  and  he  tries  his  enemies  by  let- 
ting them  see  the  falls  of  even  good  men.  If 
David  must  ascend  the  mount  of  Olives  weeping, 
Shimei  shall  be  there  to  curse  him. 

The  falls  of  God's  people  promote  holiness  in 
their  brethren,  not  by  a  direct  influence  but  by  the 
power  of  divine  grace.  At  Corinth  the  church  had 
become  somewhat  cold  and  disorderly.  One  of  the 
members  fell  into  gross  sin.  At  that  time  Paul 
wrote  to  them.  For  a  season  his  Epistle  made 
them  sorry.  It  is  still  true  that  when  one  member 
errs,  his  brethren  have  great  anguish.  But  this  is 
profitable  to  them.  Paul  says:  "Behold,  this  self- 
same thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a  godly  sort, 
what  carefulness  it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  what  clear- 
ing of  yourselves,  yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what 
fear,  yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea,  what  zeal, 
yea,  what  revenge."  (2  Cor.  vii:  11.)  Well  may 
it  make  one  watchful  when  his  fellow  stumbles, 
Well  may  each  one  search  his  heart  and  implore 
the  scrutiny  of  omniscience  when  his  brother,  in 
whom  he  confided,  has  erred  from  the  path  of 
rectitude.  At  such  times  the  pious  hear  Christ 
saying,  Will  ye  also  go  away?  will  ye  also  wound 
me  in  the  house  of  my  friends  ?  will  ye  also  be 
high-minded  and  not  fear?  will  ye  not  learn  to  go 
softly  before  the  Lord?  Such  a  fall  brings  into 
exercise  pity,  compassion,  christian  sympathy,  kind- 


THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN.  287 

ness  and  forgiveness  towards  him,  who  has  sinned 
and  repented.  Thus  God  sometimes  makes  such  a 
fall  the  occasion  of  increase  of  grace  in  various 
ways.  This  is  all  owing  to  his  sovereign  power  and 
amazing  love.     Blessed  be  his  name  forever. 

III.  If  we  would  not  fall  we  must  take  good 
heed  to  ourselves. — Heed  is  care,  attention,  cau- 
tion, wariness,  circumspection.  He  who  having 
treasures  walks  among  thieves  is  careful  what  he 
does.  If  any  one  christian  grace  more  than  an- 
other enters  into  this  heed,  it  is  that  excellent 
quality,  holy  fear.  Bunyan  says,  he  had  some- 
times wished  that  the  whole  keeping  of  the  town  of 
Mansoul  had  been  committed  to  godly  fear.  This 
grace  at  once  so  calm  and  so  solemn,  so  watchful 
and  so  opposed  to  sin,  is  a  grand  preservative 
against  falling.  Carelessness,  light  and  inconsider- 
ate conduct  naturally  lead  to  error  and  to  anguish. 

Of  course  a  very  high  estimate  of  the  value  of 
spiritual  and  everlasting  things  has  no  little  to  do 
in  keeping  us  from  falling.  When  that  which  is  at 
stake  is  felt  to  be  infinite,  in  fact  to  be  our  all,  it  is 
not  possible  for  us  to  think  slightly  of  its  loss. 
The  Saviour  says,  "Let  no  man  rob  thee  of  thy 
crown."  If  we  lose  the  crown,  we  shall  with  it 
lose  the  kingdom.  When  one  walks  through  the 
grass  or  the  grain  infested  with  poisonous  serpents, 
he  takes  every  step  with  caution,  he  looks  before, 
behind  and  on  either  side,  lest  he  should  be  bitten. 
If  one  is  placed  on  an  eminence,  supplied  with 
weapons  and  told  to  keep  a  strict  watch,  and  he 


288  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD   MEN. 

shall  easily  repel  all  attacks  made  upon  him ;  the 
danger  is  that  after  awhile  he  may  he  thrown  off 
his  guard,  may  say  to  himself  that  all  is  well,  and 
thus  be  overpowered.  The  christian  is  furnished 
with  the  panoply  of  God,  is  told  that  he  will  be 
assaulted,  but  is  assured  that  if  he  will  do  his  duty, 
he  shall  never  fall.  For  a  while  he  obeys  orders, 
fights  the  good  fight  of  faith,  but  in  some  unsus- 
pecting moment,  he  falls  asleep  on  his  post,  and  at 
such  an  hour  as  he  thinks  not,  the  enemy  surrounds 
him,  and  he  is  led  captive  by  temptation.  If  he 
had  known  the  number  and  strength  of  his  foes, 
he  would  not  have  acted  thus ;  or  had  he  known 
the  hour  when  the  assault  would  be  made,  he  would 
have  been  on  the  alert. 

This  heed  is  specially  called  for,  wThen  we  have 
first  recovered  from  a  fall.  Having  gained  one 
advantage,  the  adversary  will  soon  make  another 
assault.  What  has  been  done,  may  be  done  again. 
Without  special  care,  the  soul  will  relapse  and  the 
second  fall  will  be  worse  than  the  first.  If  you 
have  fallen  once,  remember  that  you  may  fall  again. 
He  who  is  once  conquered  proves  that  he  is  not  in- 
vincible. A  second  fall  will  probably  wound  the  con- 
science very  deeply.     • 

We  should  be  very  careful  to  walk  circumspectly 
immediately  after  the  reception  of  special  blessings 
from  God.  "When  thou  hast  eaten  and  art  full, 
then  beware."  Religious  raptures  are  sometimes 
succeeded  by  fleshly  frolics.  Satan's  first  attack  on 
Christ  wras  soon  after  the  voice  from  heaven  had 
said,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son,"  and  just  after  the 
25* 


THE    FALLS    OP    GOOD    MEN.  289 

Holy  Ghost  had  descended  in  a  visible  form  to  rest 
upon  him.  Recent  refreshments  in  the  Lord,  and 
recent  observance  of  ordinances, so  far  from  forming 
a  defence  against  the  attacks  of  Satan,  rather  ex- 
pose one  to  them.  The  cunning  pirate  lets  a  fleet 
of  ships  empty  or  in  ballast  pass  by  him,  but  gives 
hot  chase  to  the  rich  merchantman. 

When  one  is  about  to  engage  in  any  new  and  special 
work  for  the  glory  of  God  Satan  often  endeavours 
to  gain  an  advantage  over  him.  The  son  of  Sirach 
gave  the  sum  of  many  a  Scripture  warning  when  he 
said:  "My  son,  if  thou  come  to  serve  the  Lord, 
prepare  thyself  for  temptation. "  A  good  beginning 
is  of  great  importance.  If  the  adversary  can  prevail 
on  us  to  take  a  first  false  step  he  will  hope  to 
have  a  continued  advantage  over  us. 

In  short  there  is  no  situation  in  which  this  heed 
is  not  called  for.  Occasions  of  stumbling  are  pre- 
sented so  suddenly,  the  enemy  is  so  subtle,  he  ap- 
proaches us  under  so  plausible  appearances,  he  so 
well  knows  our  peculiar  weaknesses  and  besetting 
sins,  that  he  who  is  not  continually  on  his  guard  is 
liable  to  be  hurried  away  into  sin  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  render  him  miserable  through  life,  and  to  do 
an  injury  to  Christ's  cause  which  long  years  may 
not  be  able  to  repair.  How  all  eyes  are  turned  to 
the  sun  when  eclipsed.  In  like  manner  but  with 
malicious  joy,  the  wicked  gaze  at  the  church,  when 
instead  of  shining  fair  and  clear,  dark  spots  obscure 
her  brightness.  Then  the  profane  wag  the  head, 
reproach  the  Saviour,  and  say  that  all  religion  is 
vain.     Thus  they  confirm  themselves  in  error  and 


290  THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN. 

rebellion.     Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take 
heed  lest  he  fall. 

REMARKS. 

1.  All  those  affections,  sentiments,  opinions  and 
practices,  whose  nature  is  to  beget  carelessness  and 
unguarded  conduct,  are  un scriptural.  If  even  our 
joys  and  hopes  make  us  heedless,  we  are  better 
without  them.  If  we  have  so  conceived  of  the 
gospel  as  to  judge  that  its  fulness  and  promises  ren- 
der watchfulness  unnecessary,  we  quite  mistake  its 
true  nature.  If  we  esteem  the  influence  and  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit  and  grace  of  God  as  authorizing 
us  to  pursue  any  course  of  conduct  agreeable  to  our 
carnal  nature,  we  are  certainly  turning  our  liberty 
into  licentiousness,  and  perverting  the  richest  mer- 
cies of  God.  "Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 
take  heed  lest  he  fall" — lest  he  fall  into  open  and 
shameful  sin — lest  he  fall  never  more  to  rise.  Paul 
says,  "I  keep  under  my  body  and  bring  it  into  sub- 
jection: lest  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have 
preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  castaway." 
(1  Cor.  ix:  27.)  That  which  is  at  stake  is  of  infinite 
value.  A  man  may  lose  an  eye  or  an  arm  and  yet 
have  an  eye  and  an  arm  left ;  but  if  he  lose  his  soul, 
all  is  gone,  and  gone  forever. 

2.  The  perseverance  which  God  requires  is  per- 
severance in  holiness — fidelity  unto  death.  Though 
God  may  overrule  tbe  falls  of  his  people  to  his 
glory  and  their  good,  yet  let  no  man  tempt  the 
Lord,  or  suppose  that  it  is  not  perilous  for  him  to 
do  aught  presumptuously. 


THE    FALLS    OF    GOOD    MEN.  291 

3.  We  may  be  greatly  mistaken  in  our  estimate 
of  the  efficiency  of  causes,  both  good  and  bad.  We 
may  think  ourselves  safe  when  there  is  but  a  step 
between  us  and  ruin.  Paul  was  much  delighted 
with  himself  when  he  was  persecuting  the  church 
to  strange  cities ;  yet  had  he  died  the  morning  he 
set  out  for  Damascus,  he  would  have  been  forever 
undone. 

4.  Though  all  professors  of  religion  may  err, 
yea,  though  all  of  them  were  insincere,  yet  that 
can  in  no  wise  excuse  or  profit  the  unregenerate, 
who  have  not  assumed  the  christian  profeesiou. 
Every  one  of  us  must  give  account  of  himself  unto 
God.  Hypocrites  and  unbelievers  shall  have  their 
portion  together. 

5.  When  men  shall  be  taken  from  present  scenes 
and  circumstances,  and  have  their  abode  among 
eternal  realities,  their  views  of  things  will  be  vastly 
changed.  Nothing  will  seem  very  evil  except  sin. 
Nothing  will  wear  the  stamp  of  very  great  value 
except  holiness.  We  shall  find  that  we  have  mis- 
erably overestimated  the  present  and  underrated 
the  future. 


292 


SELF-DECEPTION. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SELF-DECEPTION — IT   IS    EASY — THERE    IS   MUCH    OF  IT. 

The  word  of  God,  good  practical  writings  on 
religion,  the  polite  literature  of  the  day  and  com- 
mon observation  unite  in  begetting  the  persuasion 
that  there  are  many  self-deceivers  in  the  world. 
Every  thinking  man  must  admit  that  the  subject  is 
of  great  importance,  involving  our  best  interests. 
The  following  positions  are  easily  sustained  : 

I.  Self-deception  is  easy. — The  mind  itself  is 
subtle,  and  all  its  operations  rather  concealed  from 
our  view.  The  soul  was  formed  for  contemplating 
G(  d,  his  works  and  ways,  rather  than  for  looking  at 
itself.  The  science  of  mental  philosophy  makes 
slower  progress  than  almost  any  other  science.  lie 
who  made  the  soul  and  he  alone  understands  it  per- 
fectly. It  is  probable  that  holy  angels  in  heaven 
study  their  own  character  unspeakably  less  than  they 
do  the  character  of  God. 

Moreover,  sin  itself  begets  self-deception.  "  Men 
love  darkness  rather  than  light."  "The  heart  is 
deceitful  above  all  tilings  and  desperately  wicked  ; 
who  can  know  it."  Sin  always  darkens  the  under- 
standing. Huge  volumes  of  smoke  and  darkness 
have  risen  from  the  bottomless  pit  and  settled  over 


SELF-DECEPTION.  293 

the  mind  so  that  man  is  altogether  brutish  in  his 
knowledge,  and  vain  imaginations  are  ever  floating 
in  his  mind.  Men  have  eyes  but  they  see  not.  In- 
ordinate self-love  also  blinds  the  mind.  You  can 
undertake  no  more  unwelcome  task  than  to  convince 
a  man  of  his  own  errors.  Men  are  lovers  of  them- 
selves  more  than  lovers  of  God.  They  riot  in  care- 
lessness. How  seldom  does  an  unrenewed  man  ob- 
serve a  day  of  self-recollection.  It  is  a  great  tax 
upon  one's  time  to  sit  down  and  investigate  his  own 
heart  and  conduct.  Or  if  such  a  thing  is  attempted, 
what  is  more  common  than  greatly  to  slight  the 
work  ? 

Then,  too,  familiarity  with  any  deformity,  and 
especially  with  sin  in  ourselves,  mightily  diminishes 
our  ideas  of  its  odiousness.  Frightful  as  death 
itself  is,  familiarity  with  it  is  found  often  to  harden 
the  heart.  Much  more  do  we  become  callous  in  re- 
gard to  that  which  is  morally  wrong. 

Moreover,  the  meltings  of  nature  and  the  melt- 
ings of  crace  much  resemble  each  other.  The  faith 
of  the  understanding  in  some  things  is  not  wholly 
unlike  the  faith  of  the  heart.  Self-confidence  some- 
times gives  as  much  composure  as  the  confidence  of 
faith.  Voluntary  humility  often  puts  on  as  coarse 
sackcloth  as  gospel  humility.  False  hopes  give  joy 
as  well  as  a  good  hope  through  grace.  Morbid  sen- 
sibility often  weeps  as  much  as  true  penitence. 
Scrupulosity  often  looks  like  tenderness  of  con- 
science. 

Systems  of  education,  which  have  in  them  finesse 
and  insincerity,   greatly  add  to  the  power  of  these 


294  SELF-DECEPTION. 

things.  We  may  conceal  our  sentiments  and  prin- 
ciples from  others,  until  we  ourselves  hardly  know 
what  they  are.  Many  systems  of  polite  education 
are  full  of  hypocrisy. 

Moreover  the  god  of  this  world  blinds  the  minds 
of  them  that  believe  not.  Although  not  omni- 
scient, yet  he  knows  much  that  is  in  our  hearts.  He 
is  skilled  in  deceiving ;  he  is  very  daring ;  he  as- 
sailed even  Christ ;  he  quotes  Scripture  with  great 
readiness,  (Matt,  iv:  6.)  He  is  dreadfully  malig- 
nant. Innocence  is  no  barrier  against  his  wiles. 
He  entered  Eden  itself.  He  has  no  compassion  on 
the  weak  or  the  ignorant.  He  assumes  every  ap- 
pearance from  that  of  a  roaring  lion  to  that  of  an 
angel  of  light.  False  religion  probably  pleases 
him  as  well  as  total  irreligion.  He  has  great  power 
in  deluding  men  and  making  them  think  they  are 
something  when  they  are  nothing.  He  rules  in  the 
hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience.  Under  his 
influence  men  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good.  He  is 
very  busy  ;  he  never  misses  a  sermon  or  a  prayer- 
meeting.  He  corrupts  our  secret  devotions.  He 
closely  watches  his  prey  and  tightens  his  cords.  He 
is  often  most  busy  with  us  when  we  least  think  of 
his  presence. 

Men  help  to  deceive  each  other.  The  world  is 
full  of  errors  on  all  subjects  connected  with  piety. 
False  opinions  prevail.  The  wise,  the  rich,  the 
powerful  and  the  honorable  greatly  influence  those 
around  them.  The  learned  possess  vast  power,  but 
even  the  rude  and  the  poor  terribly  corrupt  one  an- 
other.    There  is  hardly  an    error  in   doctrine   or 


SELF-DECEPTION.  295 

morals  concerning  which  the  opinion  of  some  great 
one  mny  not  be  cited  in  approbation.  So  it  has 
come  to  pass  that  almost  all  vices  and  errors  have 
good  names,  and  every  species  of  sin  is  palliated. 
Especially  does  the  world  universally  approve  and 
commend  alow  standard  of  piety.  "Many  de- 
ceivers are  entered  into  the  world."  (2  John,  7.) 
Then  the  heart  is  all  ready  for  these  temptations. 
"He  that  trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool."  (Prov. 
xxviii:  26. )  '  'They  return  but  not  to  the  Most  High." 
(Hos.  vii:  16.)  All  this  is  abundantly  taught  in 
Scripture.  "The  pride  of  thine  heart  hath  deceived 
thee. "  (Obad.  3. )  "  Take  heed  that  ye  be  not  de- 
ceived." (Luke  xxi :  8. )  "  Let  no  man  deceive  him- 
self." (1  Cor.  hi:  18.)  "Be  not  deceived."  (Gal. 
vi :  7.)  "Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words." 
(Eph.  v:  6.)  "Be  ye  doers  of  the  word  and  not 
hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own  selves."  (James 
i:  22.)  "Little  children,  let  no  man  deceive  you." 
(1  John  hi:  7.) 

II.  There  is  much  self-deception  in  the  world. 
This  is  true  in  all  respects.  How  many  mistake  their 
calling  through  an  erroneous  view  of  their  talents. 
Every  profession  has  many  such.  For  every  office 
aspirants  without  qualification  are  numerous.  Many, 
who  would  otherwise  be  respectable,  make  them- 
selves ridiculous  by  claiming  qualities  or  abilities  of 
which  they  have  not  the  semblance.  How  many 
are  deceived  about  even  their  manners.  If  they 
saw  how  offensive  they  were,  surely  they  would  not 
retain  them.     But  the  heart  is  much  more  subtle 


296  SELF-DECEPTION. 

than  the  mind  or  the  manners.  Some  men  will  allow 
you  to  criticize  their  gifts,  or  their  ways,  provided 
you  will  not  impeach  their  moral  qualities.  Indeed 
the  more  you  tell  an  outrageous  ma.i  that  his  con- 
duet  is  intolerable,  the  more  outrageous  docs  he 
become.  None  calls  more  loudly  for  acquittal  than 
the  mean  and  the  uncandid.  It  is  well  worthy  of 
note  that  the  best  men  in  the  world  have  always 
lamented  their  liability  to  self-deception.  They 
know  that  they  are  apt  to  think  more  highly  of 
themselves  than  they  ought  to  think.  How  many 
have  vainly  supposed  themselves  possessed  of  more 
grace  and  strength  than  their  subsequent  experience 
evinced.  Some  who  imagine  that  their  souls  are 
like  Mount  Zion,  that  they  will  be  faithful  unto 
death,  that  their  zeal  will  be  quenchless,  that  their 
hopes  will  always  be  bright,  are  soon  found  quiver- 
ing like  leaves,  forgetting  their  vows,  overcome 
witli  languor,  and  ready  to  sink  into  despondency. 

All  Christians  testify  that  before  conversion  their 
views  of  themselves  were  very  erroneous.  "  I  was 
alive  without  the  law,"  tells  the  whole  story.  And 
even  after  conversion,  not  only  individuals  but  whole 
churches  have  said,  "I  am  rich,  and  increased  with 
goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing,"  when  the  Lord 
saw  that  they  were  "wretched,  and  miserable,  and 
poor,  and  blind,  and  naked." 

Those  developments  of  character,  called  changes 
for  the  worse,  give  us  like  warning.  When  young, 
the  Emperor  Nero  seemed  truly  solicitious  to  make 
his  people  happy.  lie  was  kind,  compassionate  and 
condeseending.  He  was  tender  and  generous.  So 
26 


SELF-DECEPTION.  297 

men  esteemed  him.  So  doubtless  lie  esteemed  him- 
self. But  as  circumstances  changed  and  his  real 
principles  gained  strength,  he  butchered  his  own 
mother,  set  fire  to  Rome,  and  exercised  cruelties 
which  have  made  him  infamous  for  ever.  Ilazael 
furnishes  another  example.  When  the  story  of  his 
wickedness  was  read  to  him  by  the  mouth  of  pro- 
phecy, he  exclaimed,  * '  AVhat,  is  thy  servant  a  dog 
that  he  should  do  this  great  thing  ?"  (2  Kings  viii : 
13.)  So  true  is  it  that  even  wicked  men,  moved 
by  the  power  of  conscience,  may  express  abhor- 
rence of  sin,  and  yet  they  may  soon  commit  it. 

Whoever  has  had  much  to  do  with  those  sinners, 
who  have  been  left  to  perpetrate  great  crimes,  has 
seen  how  difficult  it  is  to  convince  them  of  their 
wrong ;  and  the  Bible  abounds  with  proofs  that  the 
worse  men  are,  the  better  they  commonly  think 
themselves  to  be.  When  the  Jews  were  terribly 
apostate  from  God,  had  wearied  him  with  their 
words,  had  robbed  him,  had  used  stout  words  against 
him,  they  yet  cried,  "  Wherein  have  we  wearied 
thee?  wherein  have  we  robbed  thee?  what  have 
we  spoken  so  much  against  thee  ?"  (Mai.  ii :  17; 
iii:  8,  13.)  The  world  is  full  of  Pharisees  and 
Pharisaism.  Saul  of  Tarsus  thought  himself  an 
excellent  man  when  he  was  murdering  the  saints. 

Many  have  thought  that  they  had  the  very  spirit 
of  martyrs,  when  on  fair  trial  they  openly  renounced 
Christ.  When  bloody  Mary  ascended  the  throne, 
a  general  fear  of  persecution  was  excited.  The 
pious  and  humble  Saunders  expressed  to  Dr.  Pen- 
dleton apprehensions  lest  in  time  of  temptation  he 


298  SELF-DECEPTION. 

should  wound  Ms  own  conscience  by  some  act  of  sin- 
ful timidity.  On  the  other  hand,  Pendleton  spoke 
confidently  of  his  ability  to  resist  unto  blood.  The 
time  of  trial  came.  Out  of  weakness,  Saunders 
was  made  strong,  and  died  in  the  faith ;  while  Pen- 
dleton drew  back,  renounced  his  principles,  and 
received  the  mark  of  the  beast.  He  who  thought 
he  had  the  very  spirit  of  Stephen  had  the  spirit  of 
an  apostate. 

Others,  who  have  supposed  themselves  fully  pre- 
pared for  the  hour  of  ordinary  death,  have  discov- 
ered their  mistake  when  it  was  too  late.  Death 
came,  and  ah !  what  fear,  ah !  what  trembling,  ah ! 
what  anguish,  ah!  what  amazement,  ah!  what  des- 
pair! The  annals  of  our  race  are  full  of  such 
records. 

The  history  of  every  wicked  man  who  ever  thought 
himself  fit  for  heaven,  shows  how  apt  men  are  to 
deceive  themselves.  The  number  of  such  is  im- 
mense. In  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  the  great  body 
of  the  Jewish  people  bore  this  character.  Every 
general  persecution  has  detected  many  such.  The 
loose,  careless,  worldly  lives  of  many  professors  now 
on  earth,  prove  the  same  thing.  The  tree  is  known 
by  its  fruits.  "  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  right- 
eous, he  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  (1 
John  iii:  7,  8.) 


SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED.  299 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED — THE    SIGNS     OF    IT — THE 
DANGER  OF  IT. 

The  former  chapter  showed  how  easy  it  is  for 
men  to  deceive  themselves,  and  that  many  are  ac- 
tually self-deceived.  Let  us  now  consider  the  signs 
and  dangers  of  self-deception. 

III.  The  signs  of  self-deception  are  many. — 
When  a  professor  of  religion  is  wise  and  prudent  in 
worldly  matters,  but  not  shrewd  or  discerning  in 
the  things  of  religion,  he  is  deceived.  "All  thy 
children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord."  (Isa.  liv :  13.) 
If  we  lack  spiritual  discernment,  we  lack  the  Holy 
Spirit;  and  "if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  (Rom.  viii:  9.)  Jesus 
Christ  laid  clown  gross  spiritual  blindness  as  a  mark 
that  men  were  not  of  God.     (Matt,  xvi:  2,  3.) 

Another  sign  against  many  professors  is,  that 
though  when  sick,  or  afflicted,  or  terrified  by  con- 
science or  by  judgments,  they  engage  in  prayer; 
yet  because  they  have  no  genuine  spirit  of  devotion, 
they  soon  find  it  irksome.  ""Will  the  hypocrite  de- 
light himself  in  the  Almighty  ?  will  he  always  call 
upon  God?"     (Job  xxvii:  10.) 

The  whole  religious  experience  of  self-deceivers  is 
fitful  and  transient.     Dr.  Payson  says  that  such  do 


300  SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED. 

not  repent  any  more  after  a  hope  of  forgiveness 
springs  up.  But  the  true  christian  never  is  more 
broken-hearted  than  when  his  hope  of  forgiveness 
is  strongest.  Self-deceivers  often  feign  tenderness 
and  liveliness  in  the  things  of  God  beyond  what  their 
experience  will  justify. 

They  are  uniformly  more  afraid  of  suffering  than 
of  sin;  of  denying  themselves  than  of  denying 
Christ.  When  liberty,  property,  character  or  life 
is  endangered  by  a  christian  profession,  their  fears 
are  dismal.  (Isa.  xxxiii:  14.)  Sooner  or  later  the 
rain  descends,  the  floods  come,  the  winds  blow  and 
beat  upon  their  house,  and  great  is  the  fall  of  it. 

Self-deceivers  also  judge  harshly  and  severely. 
They  are  keen  to  discern  small  faults  in  others,  and 
slow  to  perceive  great  faults  in  themselves.  (Matt. 
vii :  3-5.)  Those  professors,  who  live  under  the 
power  of  covetousness  and  are  not  careful  as  to  the 
means  employed  for  accumulating,  who  esteem  their 
wealth,  their  time  and  their  talents  their  own,  who 
are  cruel  in  their  dispositions  and  bring  malice  into 
the  service  of  God,  who  are  ready  to  promise  and 
slow  to  perform,  who  abound  in  professions  and 
in  failures,  who  hide  their  sins  under  specious  pre- 
tences, who  are  strict  in  the  ceremonies  of  religion, 
but  easily  pass  by  faith,  justice,  mercy  and  the  love 
of  God,  may  be  sure  that  they  are  deceiving  them- 
selves. (1  John  ii :  15;  Ex.  v:  2;  Ps.  xii:  4; 
James  i:  20  ;  Matt,  xxhi:  2,  3,  5,  14,  23.)  The 
same  is  made  manifest  when  men  commend  the 
pious  dead  and  hate  the  pious  living  among  them. 
(Matt,  xxiii :  29,  30.) 
26* 


SELF-DECEPTION   CONTINUED.  301 

The  good  of  self-deceivers  is  commonly  over- 
acted. When  they  would  be  liberal  they  are  prodi- 
gal ;  when  they  would  be  economical,  they  are 
stingy.  Instead  of  being  humble,  they  are  mean ; 
instead  of  being  noble,  they  are  proud.  In  them 
dumpishness  takes  the  place  of  seriousness,  levity  of 
cheerfulness,  cringing  of  courteousness,  stubborn- 
ness of  decision,  laxity  of  moderation,  bitterness  of 
zeal,  stolidity  of  calmness,  superstition  of  devotion. 
Whatever  they  do  is  overdone.  They  carry  their 
principles  to  rank  extremes.  If  they  sing,  they 
sing  too  loud ;  if  they  pray,  they  pray  too  long  ;  if 
they  commend,  they  become  fulsome ;  if  they  re- 
prove, they  break  the  head.  Instead  of  prudence 
and  discretion  they  have  craft,  cunning  and  sly 
reserve.  Without  faith  they  are  presumptuous; 
without  hope  they  are  confident ;  without  meekness 
they  are  tame.  They  are  bitter  in  favour  of  charity 
and  fierce  for  moderation. 

"  Some  men  carry  on  a  kind  of  coasting  trade  in 
religion.  In  the  voyage  of  life,  they  profess  to  be 
in  search  of  heaven,  but  take  care  not  to  venture  so 
far  in  their  approximations  to  it  as  entirely  to  lose 
sight  of  the  earth ;  and  should  their  frail  vessel  be 
in  danger  of  shipwreck,  they  will  gladly  throw  their 
darling  vices  overboard,  as  other  mariners  their  trea- 
sures, only  to  fish  them  up  again,  when  the  storm  is 
over.  To  steer  a  course  that  shall  secure  both 
worlds  is  still  a  thing  unattained  as  yet,  either  by 
the  divine  or  the  philosopher,  for  the  track  is  dis- 
coverable only  by  the  shipwrecks  that  have  been 
made  in  the  attempt." 


302  SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED. 

Many  deceive  themselves  by  supposing  that  they 
are  pious  because  they  love  to  go  to  church.  If  the 
services  of  the  sanctuary  are  properly  conducted, 
they  are  delighted.  The  music  puts  them  into  a 
very  pleasant  state  of  mind.  They  admire  the  gifts 
of  their  pastor.  In  manner  they  are  very  devout. 
"With  solemn  step  they  leave  the  house  of  God. 
Not  an  unjust  criticism  escapes  their  lips.  Even 
pungent  preaching  pleases  them.  The  most  awful 
truths  do  not  disquiet  them.  Such  were  Ezekiel's 
hearers,  of  whom  God  says:  "They  come  unto 
thee  as  the  people  cometh,  and  they  sit  before  thee 
as  my  people,  and  they  hear  thy  words.  And  lo, 
thou  art  unto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that 
hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an  in- 
strument." Where  is  the  failure  here?  All  looks 
well.  God  tells  the  whole  story  in  brief :  "They 
hear  thy  words,  but  they  do  them  not."  (Ezek. 
xxxiii:  31,  32.)  Some  go  still  further:  "They 
seek  God  daily  and  they  delight  to  know  his  ways, 
as  a  people  that  did  righteousness.  They  ask  of 
God  the  ordinances  of  justice.  They  take  delight  in 
approaching  to  God."  (Isa.  lviii :  2.)  Education, 
conscience,  love  of  society,  self-righteousnss  or 
something  else  than  the  love  of  God  constrains 
them  to  be  present  and  stirs  up  their  emotions. 
One  may  be  called  a  christian,  may  rest  in  the  gos- 
pel, may  make  his  boast  of  God,  may  know  his 
will,  may  approve  the  things  that  are  more  excellent, 
being  instructed  out  of  the  Scriptures,  may  be  con- 
fident that  he  is  a  guide  of  the  blind,  a  light  of  them 
which  sit  in  darkness,  an  instructor  of  the  foolish, 


SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED.  303 

a  teacher  of  babes,  having  the  form  of  knowledge 
and  of  the  truth,  and  yet  know  nothing  of  true  reli- 
gion.    (Kom.  ii:  17-20.) 

Self-deceivers  often  rely  more  on  the  estimate 
given  of  their  state  by  some  partial  or  charitable 
person,  than  on  the  clear,  unmistakable  decisions 
of  Scripture.  It  is  amazing  how  far  some  men  will 
go  to  learn  the  opinion  of  a  pastor,  or  a  parent,  or 
a  neighbour.  Some  pastors  and  some  people  very 
unwisely  persuade  others  to  join  the  church.  There 
seems  to  be  a  great  vanity  in  swelling  numbers. 
But  the  opinions  of  our  fellow-men  can  never  settle 
the  question  of  our  piety.  The  church  of  Sardis 
had  a  name  to  live — a  good  reputation  among  men ; 
but  he,  whose  prerogative  it  is  to  judge  the  heart, 
pronounced  them  "dead." 

Others  deceive  themselves  by  making  their  pros- 
perity the  test.  Ephraim  said,  "Yet  I  am  become 
rich,  I  have  found  me  out  substance.  In  all  my 
labors  they  shall  find  none  iniquity  in  me,  that  were 
sin."  (Hos.  xii:  8.)  Yet  all  the  while  he  held 
the  balance  of  deceit  and  loved  to  oppress.  Pros- 
perity can  never  establish  piety.  God  often  gives 
great  success  to  the  worldly  schemes  of  carnal  men. 

Others  think  they  are  certainly  the  children  of 
God  because  they  are  so  afflicted.  Sickness,  bereave- 
ment, loss  of  property,  loss  of  public  favor,  any 
form  of  tribulation  is  enough  to  satisfy  them  that 
they  are  on  their  way  to  heaven.  They  regard  each 
pain  as  having  some  merit.  But  they  are  strangers 
to  holiness  of  heart ;  they  are  never  conformed  to 
the  image  of  God. 


304  SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED. 

Others  deceive  themselves  by  judging  that  they 
are  as  good  as  their  neighbours.  In  this  they  may 
be  mistaken  ;  but  if  not,  their  neighbours  may  still 
be  living  in  sin.  Oh  that  men  would  wisely  say  as 
did  the  apostles:  ""We  dare  not  make  ourselves  of 
the  number,  or  compare  ourselves  with  some  that 
commend  themselves ;  but  they,  measuring  them- 
selves by  themselves,  and  comparing  themselves 
among  themselves,  are  not  wise."     (2  Cor.  x:  12.) 

IV.  In  religion  self-deception  is  dangerous, 
and,  if  persisted  in,  ruinous.  What  profit  is  there 
in  it  all  ?  One  may  for  a  time  gain  a  little  popular 
applause,  though  that  would  be  rather  a  dark  sign. 
lie  may  have  an  increase  of  public  confidence,  but  he 
will  probably  soon  lose  that.  He  may  obtain  some  false 
peace  of  conscience.  The  foolish  virgins  slept  as 
soundly  as  the  wise.  But  an  earthquake  will  soon 
shake  the  soul  to  its  foundations.  All  these  sem- 
blances of  good  are  short-lived.  At  the  farthest 
death  will  take  them  all  away.  A  good  name,  pub- 
lic confidence,  solid  peace  of  mind  and  all  other 
advantages  of  a  profession  of  religion  can  be  much 
better  secured  by  sincerity  than  by  self-deception* 
What  constant  effort  the  selt'-deceiver  must  put 
forth  to  keep  up  appearances,  to  act  a  character  not 
his  own,  and  conceal  the  character  belonging  to 
him !  lie  smothers  the  fire  in  one  place,  presently 
it  breaks  out  in  another.  He  hardly  mends  and 
daubs  one  part  of  the  wall  until  another  is  ready 
to  fall  down.  His  whole  life  is  vexation  to  no  good 
purpose.     In  death,  if  not  before,  he  finds  his  profit 


SELF-DECEPTION   CONTINUED.  305 

to  be  pain.  "For  what  is  the  hope  of  the  hypo- 
crite, though  he  hath  gained,  when  God  taketh  away 
his  soul?"  (Job  xxvii:  8.)  "The  joy  of  the 
hypocrite  is  but  for  a  moment."  (Jobxx:  5.)  In 
the  end  he  will  fall  into  his  own  pit  and  entangle 
himself  in  his  own  net.  At  death  his  day  of  grace 
forever  closes,  his  opportunities  of  salvation  end, 
and  he  becomes  the  receiver  of  endless  wo.  His 
very  insincerity  brings  upon  him  as  the  Saviour 
said  it  should,  "the  greater  damnation."  In  eter- 
nity his  shame  will  be  perpetual,  his  wounds  incura- 
ble, his  guilt  overwhelming,  his  ruin  everlasting. 
All  the  hopes  he  ever  cherished  will  become  his 
tormentors.  His  self-righteousnss  will  clothe  him 
with  confusion. 

REMARKS. 

1.  The  eternal  happiness  of  many  a  man  depends 
upon  his  entirely  giving  up  his  present  hope  of  hea- 
ven. This  will  be  the  first  step  towards  salvation. 
"What  one  thinks  he  has,  he  will  not  seek  after.  It 
is  asking  a  great  deal  to  request  a  man  to  give  up 
his  hope  and  lay  a  new  and  solid  foundation.  Very 
few  men,  who  have  come  into  the  church,  have  ever 
ceased  to  hold  fast  the  lingering  delusion  that  all  was 
right.  Many  professed  new  conversions  are  of  very 
doubtful  character.  False  hopes  please  the  carnal 
heart.  Yet  continuing  to  hold  them  is  adding  sin 
to  sin.  The  self  -  deceiver  disbelieves  all  that  God 
has  said  on  the  subject  in  his  holy  word.  In  so 
doing  he  impeaches  the  divine  veracity.     He  must 


306  SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED. 

terribly  mistake  the  divine  character,  when  he  sup- 
poses that  the  Most  High  can  delight  in  one  whose 
soul  is  filled  with  such  vile  affections  as  are  contin- 
ually in  exercise  in  his  bosom.  i  i  Sound  conver- 
sions are  rare;  but  the  instances  of  false  hopes 
being  forsaken,  are  still  more  rare,"  says  Edwards. 

2.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  that  our  salvation  does 
not  depend  upon  knowing  ourselves  perfectly,  hut 
on  our  being  known  of  God.  (2  Tim.  ii:  19.) 
With  what  joy  does  the  believer  come,  and  humbly 
appealing  to  Omni  science  say:  "Search  me,  0  God, 
and  know  my  heart :  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts : 
and  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead 
me  in  the  way  everlasting."  (Ps.  exxxix:  23,  24.) 
An  honest  desire  to  know  the  worst  of  our  case 
and  to  secure  the  scrutiny  of  Him  who  searches  the 
heart  is  no  bad  sign  in  a  professor  of  religion. 

3.  If  we  are  thus  in  danger  of  being  deceived, 
how  watchful  ought  we  to  be  over  our  own  hearts. 
We  wrestle  against  flesh  and  blood,  against  princi- 
palities and  powers,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places  and  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of 
this  world.  We  must  watch  all  our  opinions,  all 
our  doctrines,  all  our  practices,  all  our  words,  all 
our  thoughts  and  feelings.  Jealousy  over  ourselves 
is  seldom  excessive^  unless  the  mind  has  become 
diseased.  Who  ever  heard  of  a  dying  saint  lament- 
ing that  he  had  put  too  strong  restraint  upon  his 
own  lasts,  or  had  served  God  with  too  much 
carefulness  ? 

4.  The  fundamentals  of  character  in  all  unregen- 
erate  men  are  the  same.     The  ordinary  non-pro- 


SELF-DECEPTION   CONTINUED.  307 

fessor  has  no  more  love  to  God,  no  more  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  and  no  more  indwelling  of  the  Spirit 
than  has  the  self-deceiver.  He  does  not  indeed  pre- 
tend to  what  he  has  not,  but  then  he  has  not  that 
which  would  make  his  profession  of  piety  sincere. 
Neither  of  them  has  forgiveness  ;  neither  of  them 
has  experienced  a  change  of  heart.  Both  of  them 
are  on  their  way  to  ruin.  Whatever  may  be  their 
present  estimate  of  themselves,  they  are  preparing 
for  a  dreadful  overthrow.  The  poison  of  sin  is 
working  death  in  them. 

5.  It  is  a  great  mercy  that  we  have  the  Scrip- 
tures in  our  own  language.  Our  translation  is  a 
good  one  and  the  Scriptures  are  clear.  They  point 
out  the  way  to  the  skies  and  the  way  to  the  pit  with 
great  discrimination.  Let  us  test  all  our  opinions, 
hopes  and  feelings  by  this  unerring  rule:  " Prove 
all  things ;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 

6.  Let  no  man  blame  religion  for  that  to  which 
religion  is  most  opposite.  All  insincerity  and  self- 
deception  are  frequently  but  very  erroneously  put 
down  to  the  score  of  piety.  It  might  as  well  be  said 
that  the  sun  was  the  cause  of  blindness,  that  cour- 
age was  the  parent  of  cowardice,  patriotism  of  trea- 
son, truth  of  falsehood  and  love  of  hatred.  A  good 
tree  does  not  bring  forth  evil  fruit.  Heat  is  no  more 
apt  to  expel  cold,  than  is  true  religion  to  drive  away 
insincerity.  True  piety  is  the  sole,  sovereign  rem- 
edy for  self-deception.  The  truth  is  simply  this  : 
Christ  has  on  earth  a  true  church.  Satan  has  also 
a  kingdom  in  this  world.  These  princes  and  their 
hosts  are  utterly  opposed.    But  Beelzebub  frequently 


308  SELF-DECEPTION    CONTINUED. 

sends  into  the  ranks  of  Immanuel  some  of  his  true 
followers.  They  come  in  as  spies,  or  under  some 
strong  delusion.  They  profess  love  to  Christ.  His 
people  are  not  of  a  suspicious  temper.  They  more 
readily  distrust  themselves  than  others.  They  ordi- 
narily take  men  upon  their  profession  This  proves 
that  they  are  charitable ;  but  a  seif-deceiver  is  yet 
an  unbeliever,  a  tare  growing  in  the  midst  of  wheat. 
So  that  neither  Christ,  the  Bible,  nor  true  piety  can 
fairly  be  held  responsible  for  the  self-deception  of  any 
man. 
27 


MODERN  MISSIONS.  309 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

MODERN  MISSIONS. 

The  history  of  evangelization  for  the  last  hundred 
and  twenty  years  is  full  of  instruction.  In  most  of 
its  enterprises,  the  beginnings  have  been  small.  A 
few  dollars  for  the  treasury,  and  a  few  friends  for 
counsel  and  prayer,  have  been  all  that  could  be 
found  for  a  start.  This  is  God's  ordinary  plan. 
From  the  acorn  comes  the  oak.  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed.  No  wise 
man  will  despise  the  day  of  small  things.  The 
human  race  have  commonly  begun  existence  in 
embryo.  But  one  pair  ever  escaped  the  weakness 
and  helplessness  of  infancy. 

In  how  many  cases  has  God  put  great  honor  on 
poor,  plain,  young,  modest  men.  Some  such  have 
belted  the  globe  with  a  hallowed  influence.  It 
was  so  with  Samuel  J.  Mills.  God  delights  in 
taking  the  poor  from  the  dunghill  and  setting  him 
among  princes.  What  honor  did  he  put  upon 
Harriet  Newell!  What  a  change  in  the  history  of 
men  and  families  would  be  made  by  striking  out 
all  that  is  connected  with  missions ! 

Labors  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel  have  been 
extraordinary  schools  for  the  minds,   hearts   and 


310  MODERN  MISSIONS. 

manners  of  men.  Perhaps  no  men  have  evinced 
more  decided  growth  in  all  the  elements  of  great- 
ness than  many  foreign  missionaries.  To  be  fit  to 
rule  and  raise  his  people,  Peter  the  Great  entered 
a  ship  yard  on  wages.  To  avoid  hindrances  to  the 
gospel,  Paul  became  a  tent-maker.  To  teach  the 
Hottentots  to  build  houses,  Vanderkemp  wrought 
in  a  brick  yard.  Rather  than  not  go  to  China, 
Milne  was  willing  to  take  the  place  of  a  servant. 
Hardship  is  the  road  to  eminence.  i 

Many  missionary  undertakings  have  presented  to 
natural  reason  the  most  painful  discouragements, 
yet  they  have  succeeded. 

"  Germany  sent  forth 
Her  sons  to  bear  the  truth  to  farthest  north, 
And  plant  sweet  Sharon's  rose 
On  icy  plains  and  in  eternal  snows." 

There  it  has  greatly  flourished,  and  its  sweet  odors 
have  been  wafted  from  Greenland  over  all  the  earth. 
The  same  people  carried  the  gospel  in  its  power  to 
Surinam  and  many  other  places.  Take  from  the 
Moravians  their  missionary  exploits,  and  their  glory 
is  departed.  How  the  islands  of  the  sea  have 
waited  for  God's  law,  and  their  poor  inhabitants 
been  raised  and  made  to  rejoice  in  his  salvation. 
There  are  now  on  earth  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
converts  from  heathenism.  Nations  have  been 
born  unto  God.  Ninety  millions  of  copies  of  God's 
word  have  been  sent  out  into  all  the  earth.  People 
who  seemed  doomed  to  extinction,  have  been  raised 
to  thrift,  comfort  and  increase.  The  Stockbridge 
tribe  of  Indians,  who  at  one  time  were  reduced  to 


MODERN  MISSIONS.  311 

one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  souls,  are  more  than 
doubled  in  numbers,  and  quadrupled  in  wealth. 
The  whole  history  of  modern  missions  proves  the 
truth  of  Elliott's  saying :  *  *  Prayer  and  pains  through 
faith  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  can  accomplish  wonders." 

Beyond  all  other  causes,  missions  have  advanced 
the  interests  of  literature.  Under  their  influence, 
spoken  tongues  have  become  written  languages. 
They  have  produced  more  grammars  and  lexicons 
of  strange  languages  than  all  other  causes.  They 
have  filled  the  world  with  translations  of  all  the 
inspired  writings,  and  of  many  of  the  choicest  pro- 
ductions of  gifted  men.  The  great  Dreamer  is 
showing  many  heathen  born  pilgrims  the  way  to 
the  Celestial  City.  The  Dairyman's  Daughter  is 
read  by  the  Hindoo  with  as  much  zest  as  by  the 
farmer  of  America.  The  printing-press  is  at  work 
day  and  night.  Millions  of  readers  have  been 
raised  up  and  taught  to  know  much  that  concerns 
their  well  being. 

Whatever  has  been  done  in  this  cause  has  been 
in  the  face  of  the  fiercest  opposition.  The  enemy 
has  practiced  all  his  old  arts.  He  has  resorted  to 
scorn  and  slander,  contempt  and  violence,  persecu- 
tion and  murder.  But  the  cause  moves  onward. 
The  blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  church. 
At  one  time  the  cry  is,  "If  a  fox  run  along  that 
wall,  it  will  fall  down."  At  another,  the  cry  of 
treason  and  rebellion  has  been  loud  against  the  best 
of  men.     But  God  holdeth  his  enemies  in  derision. 

All  who  have  lived  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
have  been  remarkably  sustained  in  spirit  and  in 


312  MODERN  MISSIONS. 

personal  happiness.  Who  ever  received  a  murmur- 
ing, melancholy  letter  from  a  foreign  missionary? 
Trials  they  have  had,  but  God  has  not  forgotten 
them.  Often  have  they  been  troubled  on  every 
side,  yet  not  distressed;  perplexed,  but  not  in  de- 
spair; persecuted,  bnt  not  forsaken;  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed.  Above  most,  they  have  learned 
in  whatsoever  state  they  are,  therewith  to  be  content, 
and  to  rejoice  in  tribulation.  "Doing  good  is  the 
only  certainly  happy  action  of  a  man's  life." 

Modern  missions  have  remarkably  evinced  the 
power  of  the  distinguishing  truths  of  the  gospel. 
Christ  crucified  is  still  the  great  theme  for  the 
preacher,  who  would  bring  men  to  know,  love, 
fear  and  obey  God.  Christ  is  the  power  of  God 
and  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation.  The  East 
and  the  "West  Indies,  the  high  latitudes  of  the 
North,  and  the  warm  regions  of  the  South  Seas, 
furnish  like  testimonies  to  the  power  of  the  preacher, 
who  stands  crying,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  There  is  no 
Saviour  but  Jesus.  There  is  no  truth  that  can 
save,  or  heal,  or  help,  but  in  him.  The  lessons 
taught  mankind  on  this  very  subject  by  the  labors 
of  many  good  men  have  been  of  the  highest 
importance. 

Missions  have  also  shown  that  genuine  piety  is 
ever  the  same.  However  diverse  people  may  be 
in  manners,  color  and  government,  if  the  grace  of 
God  takes  hold  of  them,  it  makes  them  all  in  their 
measure  like  their  Saviour.  The  martyrs  of  Mad- 
agascar have  shown  the  constancy  and  benevolence 
27* 


MODERN  MISSIONS.  313 

of  those  who  suffered  under  Nero  and  Domitian. 
The  desire  to  make  known  God's  love  to  sinners 
appeared  in  Africaner,  after  his  conversion,  no  less 
truly  than  in  Paul  the  Apostle.  The  joy  in  Sama- 
ria does  not  seem  to  have  surpassed  that  at  many  a 
mission  station,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured 
out.  If  in  early  times  sound  conversions  were  mani- 
fested by  holy  living,  so  were  they  in  Brainerd'a 
poor  Indians. 

The  reflex  influence  of  missions  has  been  most 
happy  and  most  powerful.  They  bless  all  that  love 
them,  or  give  to  them,  or  pray  for  them.  "What 
reading,  and  writing,  and  speaking,  and  parting, 
and  meeting,  and  giving,  and  receiving,  and  hoping, 
and  believing,  and  praying,  and  praising  have  had 
their  rise  in  this  blessed  cause.  What  illustrations 
of  Scripture  we  find  in  missions.  Such  texts  as 
the  following  seem  to  have  new  meaning:  "It  is 
more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."  "He  that 
watereth  shall  be  watered."  "Thy  bread  and  thy 
water  is  sure."  What  a  chasm  would  be  created  in 
our  best  religious  biography,  if  we  should  have 
to  give  up  at  once  the  memoirs  of  all  modern 
missionaries. 

The  conclusion  is  that  we  should  all  have  more 
zeal  in  this  cause.  It  is  more  worthy  of  our  love 
and  efforts  than  we  have  ever  thought  it  to  be. 
Help  on  this  cause  at  any  sacrifice  of  ease,  or  plea- 
sure, or  property.  "Make  to  yourselves  friends  of 
the  mammon  of  unrighteousness :  that  when  ye  fail, 
they  may  receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations." 

Our  obligations  to  our  Redeemer  are  infinite.    He 


314  MODERN  MISSIONS. 

has  called  us  to  his  kingdom  and  glory.  He  has 
already  done  great  things  for  us.  He  has  promised 
to  do  great  things  in  days  to  come.  "We  have  pro- 
mised much  in  our  religious  profession.  We  have 
but  a  little  while  longer  on  earth  to  do  any  thing 
for  his  cause.  ' '  The  night  cometh  when  no  man 
can  work."  We  owe  him  all.  Let  us  give  him  all. 
I  know  not  who  is  the  author  of  the.  following 
poem  ;  but  I  commend  its  sweet  spirit  to  all : 
BEHOLD  THE  BRIDEGROOM  COMETH. 

Behold,  a  royal  bridegroom 

Hath  called  me  for  his  bride ! 

I  joyfully  make  ready  and  hasten  to  his  side. 

He  is  a  royal  bridegroom, 

But  I  am  very  poor ! 

Of  low  estate  he  chose  me 

To  show  his  love  the  more  ; 

For  he  hath  purchased  for  me 

Such  goodly  rich  array — 

Oh!  surely  never  Bridegroom 

Gave  gifts  like  these  away. 

When  first  upon  the  mountains 
I  in  the  vale  below, 
Beheld  him  waiting  for  me, 
Heard  his  command  to  go. 
I,  poorest  in  the  valley, 
Oh  I  how  could  I  prepare 
To  meet  his  royal  presence  ? 
How  could  I  make  me  fair  ? 
Ah,  in  his  love  he  sent  me 

A  garment  clean  and  white, 
And  promised  broidered  raiment 

All  glorious  to  his  sight: 
And  then  he  gave  me  glimpses 

Of  the  jewels  for  my  hair, 
And  the  ornaments  most  precious 
For  his  chosen  bride  to  wear. 


MODERN  MISSIONS. 

First  in  my  tears  I  washed  me— 

They  could  not  make  me  clean ; 
A  fountain  then  he  showed  me, 

Strange,  until  then  unseen  I 
So  close  I'd  lived  beside  it 

For  many  weary  years, 
Yet  passing  by  the  fountain 

Had  bathed  me  in  my  tears. 
Oh !  love,  oh  I  grace,  that  showed  it, 

Revealed  its  cleansing  power ! 
How  could  I  choose  but  hasten 

To  meet  him  from  that  hour  ? 

I  said,  delay  no  longer; 
He  surely  will  provide 

All  for  the  toilsome  journey 
Up  the  steep  mountain's  side. 

He  sought  me  in  the  valley- 
He  knows  my  utmost  need ; 

He  is  a  royal  Bridegroom, 
I  shall  be  rich  indeed. 

Rich  in  his  pardoning  mercies, 
Bounties  that  never  cease — 

Rich  in  his  loving  kindness, 
Rich  in  his  joy  and  peace. 

So  then  I  took  the  raiment 
And  the  jewels  that  he  sent, 

And  gazing  on  his  beauty 
Up  the  hillside  I  went. 

And  still  with  feeble  footsteps, 

And  turning  oft  astray, 
I  go  to  meet  the  Bridegroom, 

Though  stumbling  by  the  way. 
I  soil  my  royal  garments 

With  earth  when  e'er  I  fall; 
I  break  and  mar  my  ornaments, 

But  he  will  know  them  all. 
For  it  was  he  who  gave  them; 

Will  he  forget  his  own  ? 
Ah !  for  the  love  he  bore  me, 

He  called  1  will  he  disown? 


315 


316  MODERN  MISSIONS. 

He  sent  his  Guide  to  guide  me  ;  He  knew  how  blind,  how  frail 
The  children  of  the  valley — He  knew  my  love  would  fail. 
He  knew  that  mists  above  me  would  hide  him  from  my  sight ; 
And  I  in  darkness  groping  would  wander  from  the  right. 
I  know  that  I  must  follow  slow,  e'en  when  I  fain  would  soar ; 
That  step  by  step,  thus  upward  my  Guide  must  go  before. 
Keep  close,  dear  Guide,  and  lead  me — I  cannot  go  aright ; 
Through  all  that  doth  beset  me  keep,  keep  me  close  in  sight! 
'Tis  but  a  little  longer  ;  methinks  the  end  I  see  : 
Oh  !  matchless  love  and  mercy,  the  Bridegroom  waits  for  me— 
Waits  to  present  me  faultless  before  his  Father's  throne, 
Kis  comeliness  my  beauty,  His  righteousness  my  own. 


THE   RIGHT   TEMPER,    ETC.  317 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE   RIGHT   TEMPER   FOR  A  STUDENT   OF  THE  BIBLE. 

Every  one  must  have  observed  that  very  different 
degrees  of  success  attend  the  studies  of  those  en- 
gaged in  inquiring  into  sacred  things.  Nor  is  this 
difference  always  decided  by  natural  talents,  nor  by 
literary  acquirements.  "Wholly  sanctified  to  the 
glory  of  God,  these  are  truly  important ;  but  relied 
upon,  they  augur  but  a  splendid  failure.  The  his- 
tory of  the  Church  abounds  in  mournful  illustrations 
of  the  danger  of  leaning  on  these  things,  and  of 
forgetting  the  necessity  of  other  and  higher  qualifi- 
cations. 

That  the  study  of  the  Bible  conducted  in  a  wrong 
temper,  will  be  productive  of  little  or  no  profit,  is  a 
truth  commonly  admitted  by  serious  people.     Surely 
the  Scriptures  so  teach.     Moreover,  a  wrong  tem- 
per is  itself  criminal,   and  should  be  avoided,   if  it 
were  no  hindrance  to  one's  progress  in  knowledge. 
The  want  of  a  right  temper  produces  more  miscar- 
riages in  the  lives  of    theologians  than  all  other 
things  united.     The  whole  history  of   theological 
studies  does  not  tell  us  of  one  who  kept  his  heart 
with  excessive  diligence.     The  reason  is  that  out  of 
it  are  the  issues  of  life. 

There  is  reason  for  believing  that  many  fail  in 
their  studies  because   of   the  power  of  prejudice. 


318        THE  RIGHT  TEMPER  FOR 

Nothing  is  more  opposed  to  docility,  or  to  our  ad- 
vancement in  learning  than  a  state  of  mind  fore- 
armed against  the  truth.  Impartiality,  essential  to 
high  success,  is  difficult  of  attainment.  Prejudices  are 
judgments  for  or  against  things  proposed  to  our 
minds  without  investigation,  or  at  least  without 
sufficient  foundation.  They  result  from  education, 
from  temperament,  from  sectarianism,  or  from  some 
sin  indulged.  Even  when  prejudices  are  in  favor  of 
the  truth,  they  have  no  saving  efficacy.  Sanctifica- 
tion  is  not  through  the  strength  of  our  prejudices, 
but  through  the  belief  of  the  truth.  Prejudices 
against  the  truth  often  prove  fatal,  overriding  strong 
convictions,  and  causing  the  entire  and  sometimes  a 
bitter  rejection  of  doctrines  essential  to  salvation. 
When  one  is  in  such  a  state  that  he  will  not  examine 
evidence  and  truth  with  a  good  degree  of  imparti- 
ality, it  is  certain  that  he  will  go  astray.  When 
men  come  to  God's  word,  not  to  be  taught,  but  to 
teach,  not  to  learn  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  but  to 
find  some  way  of  supporting  error,  or  of  evading 
unwelcome  truth ;  when  with  avidity  they  seize  any 
thing  favoring  their  dogmas,  but  carefully  avoid 
whatever  wars  against  their  preconceived  opinions, 
they  effectually  exclude  themselves  from  the  high 
way  to  any  large  attainments  in  divine  truth.  The 
light  that  is  in  them  thus  becomes  darkness.  Except 
so  far  as  sanctified,  the  human  mind  is  enmity  against 
God,  against  his  nature,  his  will,  his  word ;  so  that 
"the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him ; 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 


A    STUDENT    OF    THE    BIBLE.  319 

discerned."  Some  indulge  prejudices  against  par- 
ticular books  of  Scripture,  and  others  against  par- 
ticular doctrines  of  God's  word.  Such  are  often 
found  following  vain  and  wild  notions.  One  says  : 
"The  Scripture  is  so  penned  that  they,  who  have 
a  mind  to  know,  may  know ;  they,  who  have  a 
mind  to  wrangle,  may  take  occasion  enough  of  offence, 
and  justly  perish  by  the  rebellion  of  their  own 
minds ;  for  God  never  intended  to  satisfy  men  of 
stubborn  and  perverse  spirits."  Richard  Baxter 
says:  "Fame  and  tradition,  education  and  the 
country's  vote,  do  become  the  ordinary  parent  of 
many  lies ;  and  folly  maketh  us  to  fasten  so  fearlessly 
in  our  first  apprehensions,  that  they  keep  open  the 
door  to  abundance  more  falsehoods ;  and  it  must  be 
clear  teachers,  or  great,  impartial  studies  of  a  self- 
denying  mind,  with  a  great  blessing  of  God,  that 
must  deliver  us  from  prejudice,  and  undeceive  us." 
It  requires  no  humility,  no  faith,  no  grace  of  any 
kind,  to  be  ah  earnest  partisan  of  any  dogma  or 
sect.  Whatever  our  education  may  have  been,  we 
will  find  it  no  easy  task  to  eradicate  prejudices.  It 
is  a  great  mercy  when  God  enables  us  to  lay  aside 
"foretaken  opinions,"  and  to  sit  down  with  prevail- 
ing candor  to  the  study  of  his  truth. 

Such  are  the  weakness  of  the  human  mind  and 
its  liability  to  err  that  nothing  is  more  reasonable 
than  unaffected  modesty  in  every  student  of  Scrip- 
ture. The  greatest  proficients  in  every  branch  of 
knowledge  have  been  tenderly  conscious  of  their 
own  weakness  and  liability  to  err.  The  books 
are  full  of  commendations  of  this  virtue  in  all  the 


320  THE    RIGHT    TEMPER   FOR 

walks  of  life.  Bruyere  has  well  expressed  the  views 
of  many  when  he  says:  "Modesty  is  to  merit,  as 
shades  to  figures  in  a  picture,  giving  it  strength  and 
beauty."  This  is  true.  But  modesty  is  not  a  mere 
ornament.  It  is  of  essential  use  in  the  conduct  of 
our  studies.  It  should  therefore  be  unfeigned.  The 
Scriptures  lay  great  stress  on  this  matter.  "Seest 
thou  a  man  wise  in  his  own  conceit?  there  is  more 
hope  of  a  fool  than  of  him."  "  Trust  in  the  Lord 
with  all  thy  heart;  and  lean  not  unto  thine  own  under- 
standing. In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him,  and 
lie  shall  direct  thy  paths."  Our  Lord  chiefly  refers 
to  this  modest  estimate  of  ourselves,  when  he  says : 
"Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God 
as  a  little  child,  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein."  He, 
who  is  grossly  ignorant  of  his  own  faults  and  defi- 
ciencies, who  greatly  overestimates  his  abilities  and 
attainments,  will  hardly  advance  in  anything  good 
or  great.  He,  who  has  real  piety  and  much  know- 
ledge of  himself,  must  be  lowly,  far  removed  from 
flippant  self-conceit. 

Such  subjects  as  God's  nature,  counsels  and  gov- 
ernment; as  man's  dependence  and  freedom,  his 
obligation  and  destiny;  such  themes  as  time  and 
eternity,  life  and  death,  sin  and  holiness,  heaven 
and  hell,  are  not  to  be  justly  understood  by  the 
proud  and  self-sufficient.  Let  men  hear  and  read, 
"not  to  contradict  and  confute,  nor  blindly  to 
believe  and  take  for  granted,  nor  to  find  talk  and 
discourse,  but  to  wTeigli  and  consider."  We  might 
almost  as  well  not  meditate  on  divine  things  at  all 
as  to  think  in  the  self-sufficiency  of  a  proud  heart. 


A   STUDENT    OF    THE    BIBLE.  321 

If  one  has  a  great  idea  of  himself,  the  presumption 
is  that  it  is  the  only  great  idea  he  is  likely  ever  to  have. 
But  let  not  these  remarks  be  misunderstood.  Let 
no  one  cultivate  servility  of  mind.  Contempt  for 
the  faculties  God  has  given  113  is  as  unfriendly  to 
success  as  self-conceit.  Dr.  Taylor  of  England  gave 
to  his  students  this  wholesome  advice  : 

"I.  I  do  solemnly  charge  you,  in  the  name  of 
the  God  of  truth,  and  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  the  "Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  and  before 
whose  judgment-seat  you  must  in  no  longtime  appear, 
that  in  all  your  studies  and  inquiries  of  a  religious 
nature,  present  or  future,  you  do  constantly,  care- 
fully, impartially,  and  conscientiously  attend  to  evi- 
dence, as  it  lies  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  in  the 
nature  of  things,  and  the  dictates  of  reason ;  cau- 
tiously guarding  against  the  sallies  of  imagination, 
and  the  fallacy  of  ill-grounded  conjecture. 

"II.  That  you  admit,  embrace,  or  assent  to  no 
principle,  or  sentiment,  by  me  taught  or  advanced, 
but  only  so  far  as  it  shall  appear  to  you  to  be  sup- 
ported and  justified  by  proper  evidence  from  revela- 
tion or  the  reason  of  things. 

"III.  That,  if  any  time  hereafter,  any  principle 
or  sentiment,  by  me  taught  or  advanced,  or  by  you 
admitted  and  embraced,  shall  upon  impartial  and 
faithful  examination,  appear  to  you  to  be  dubious  or 
false,  you  either  suspect,  or  totally  reject  such  prin- 
ciple or  sentiment. 

"IV.  That  you  keep  your  mind  always  open  to 
evidence;  That  you  labor  to  banish  from  yourbreasts 
all  prejudice,  prepossession,   and  party-zeal;    That 


322  THE    RIGHT   TEMPER   FOR 

you  study  to  live  iu  peace  and  love  with  all  your  fel- 
low-Christians, and  freely  allow  to  others  the  una- 
lienable rights  of  judgment  and  conscience." 

If  any  man  would  be  a  master  in  the  knowledge 
of  God's  word,  let  him  at  all  hazards  maintain  inde- 
pendence of  thought  and  freedom  of  inquiry.  It  is  a 
miserably  jejune  interpretation  of  our  Lord's  prohi- 
bition to  call  any  man  master,  father,  or  Rabbi,  that 
he  was  forbidding  us  to  give  literary  titles  to  men 
eminent  for  their  learning,  age,  or  services.  He 
designed  to  warn  us  against  blindly  following  the 
opinions  of  men,  as  many  in  his  day  did.  We  have 
but  one  Master,  even  Christ.  Implicit  faith  is  due 
to  the  words  of  God  alone.  When  he  speaks,  it  is 
the  height  of  wisdom  to  bow  down  our  souls,  and 
receive  every  declaration  as  true.  He,  w7ho  made 
the  mind,  has  rightful  authority  over  all  its  powers. 
But  all  propositions  set  forth  for  our  embrace  by 
men,  however  many,  learned  or  venerable,  are  fit 
matter  of  inquiry,  not  only  as  to  their  import,  but  as 
to  their  accordance  with  the  truth  of  God.  Let 
every  man  cautiously  settle  and  firmly  hold  all  his 
religious  principles.  The  Bible  encourages  modesty, 
not  servility  of  mind.  Paul  says :  "Prove  all  things ; 
hold  fast  that  which  is  good."  Think  for  yourself. 
Be  firm  as  a  rock ;  but  be  not  stubborn  as  a  mule. 
Embrace  truth  and  yield  to  evidence.  David  says  : 
"I  have  stuck  unto  thy  testimonies."  In  theology 
merely  human  authority  cannot  have  too  little,  as 
divine  authority  cannot  have  too  much  weight. 
Lord  Bacon  well  says :  "Disciples  do  owe  unto  mas- 
ters only  a  temporary  belief,  and  a  suspension  of 


A   STUDENT    OF    THE    BIBLE.  323 

their  own  judgments,  till  they  are  fully  instructed, 
and  not  an  absolute  resignation,  or  perpetual  cap- 
tivity." The  Biblical  student  cannot  exalt  Christ 
too  much.  He  is  King  and  Prophet,  lie  is  God's 
beloved  Son.  Hear  him.  But  beware  of  blindly 
following  any  man,  any  body  of  men,  any  school, 
any  Church.  In  malice  be  children,  but  in  under- 
standing be  men.  When  a  truth  is  settled,  be  not 
easily  moved  to  surrender  it,  nor  even  to  doubt  its 
truth.  And  let  no  one  allow  himself  to  be  beguiled 
into  a  fickleness,  respecting  even  the  terms  of  theol- 
ogy. A  late  writer  says:  "The  progress  of  lan- 
guage is  uttering  aloud  against  'them  that  call  evil 
good  and  good  evil,  that  put  bitter  for  sweet  and 
sweet  for  bitter.'  And  in  view  of  the  evils  which 
the  use  of  language  can  produce  by  weakening  or 
confounding  moral  distinctions,  does  it  not  become 
the  sober,  honest,  religious  portion  of  the  world,  to 
stick  to  the  old  terms  by  which  the  indignation  of 
men  against  sin  has  been  conveyed  from  of  old,  in- 
stead of  diluting  the  power  of  truth  and  blunting 
the  edge  of  reproof  by  an  inoffensive,  but  inane 
word,  which  circulates  in  good  society?"  What  is 
here  said  of  terms  to  express  our  ideas  of  right  and 
wrong  is  fully  applicable  to  all  religious  subjects. 

There  is  not  a  more  important  qualification  of  a 
student  of  divine  things  than  profound  reverence  for 
all  that  is  sacred.  Seriousness  is  not  enough.  So- 
lemnity is  necessary,  and  that  united  with  holy  fear. 
He  who  jests,  he  who  trifles,  he  who  feels  no  solemn 
awe  may  well  doubt  the  reality  of  his  piety.  When 
God  was  about  to  call  Moses,  and  make  him  a  great 


324        THE  RIGHT  TEMPER  FOR 

prophet,  lie  first  appeared  to  him  in  the  burning 
bush.  Aud  when  Mo3es  "turned  aside  to  see," 
God  said,  "Draw  not  hither,"  q.  «.,  remain  at  a 
reverential  distance;  "put  off  thy  shoes  from  off 
thy  feet,  for  the  place  where  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground."  "And  Moses  hid  his  face."  So  let 
every  man  do.  Divinity  is  holy  ground.  "Sanc- 
tify the  Lord  of  hosts  himself,  and  let  him  be  your 
fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread."  "To  this  man 
will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  con- 
trite spirit  and  trembleth  at  my  word."  Two  classes 
of  persons  commonly  show  a  shocking  irreverence 
for  divine  things.  One  is  composed  of  fanatics,  the 
other  of  the  authors  or  abettors  of  fundamental 
heresy.  Their  tempers  lead  to  their  errors  and  their 
errors  are  best  supported  by  their  tempers.  Too 
much  solemnity  and  holy  reverence  cannot  be  exer- 
cised by  any  who  would  advance  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  In  the  study  of  the  Bible,  irreverence 
is  profaneness.  God's  truth  will  profit  no  man  who 
is  incurably  addicted  to  levity  of  mind  respecting 
divine  things.  Of  all  dispositions  none  is  more  un- 
friendly to  the  successful  study  of  religious  truth 
than  a  fondness  for  jesting  with  sacred  things. 
Luther  said:  "Whom  God  w^ould  destroy,  he  first 
permits  to  sport  with  Scripture."  "When  Pilate 
said,  "  What  is  truth  ?"  he  could  not  have  asked  a 
graver  question.  But  his  conduct  immediately 
after  showed  that  he  could  have  asked  no  question 
in  a  less  reverent  state  of  mind. 

In  Jewish  Bibles  the  frontispiece  has  that  saying 
of  Jacob  upon  his  vision  of  God  at  Bethel:   "How 
28 


A  STUDENT   OF   THE    BIBLE.  325 

dreadful  is  this  place !  This  is  none  other  but  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven!" 
Remarking  on  this,  Owen  says,  "So  ought  we  to 
look  upon  the  word  with  a  holy  awe  and  reverence 
of  the  presence  of  God  in  it." 

In  his  judgment  of  Scripture,  Cranmer  says:  "I 
would  advise  you  all,  that  come  to  the  reading  and 
hearing  of  this  book,  which  is  the  word  of  God, 
the  most  precious  jewel,  and  most  holy  relic  that 
remaineth  upon  earth,  that  ye  bring  with  you  the 
fear  of  God,  and  that  ye  do  it  with  all  due  reverence, 
and  use  your  knowledge  thereof,  not  to  vain  glory 
of  frivolous  disputation,  but  to  the  honor  of  God, 
increase  of  virtue,  and  edification  both  of  yourselves 
and  others." 

It  is,  I  think,  Palgrave,  who  says :  "It  is  of  great 
importance  that  we  should  resist  the  temptation,  fre- 
quently so  strong,  of  annexing  a  familiar,  facetious, 
or  irreverent  idea  to  a  Scripture  text  or  a  Scripture 
name.  Nor  should  we  hold  ourselves  guiltless, 
though  we  may  have  been  misled  by  mere  negli- 
gence or  want  of  reflection.  Every  person  of  good 
taste  will  avoid  reading  a  parody  or  travestie  of  a 
beautiful  poem,  because  the  recollection  of  the  de- 
graded likeness  will  always  obtrude  itself  upon  our 
memories  when  we  wish  to  derive  pleasure  from  the 
contemplation  of  the  original.  But  how  much 
more  urgent  is  the  duty  by  which  we  are  bound  to 
keep  the  page  of  the  Bible  clear  of  any  impression 
tending  to  diminish  the  feeling  of  habitual  respect 
and  reverence  toward  our  Maker's  law." 

Of  all  the  dispositions  requisite  to  success  in  the 


326  THE    RIGHT    TEMPER   FOR 

study  of  religious  truth,  none  is  more  important 
than  a  sincere,  constant,  and  ardent  love  of  truth. 
"No  qualification  is  before  this.  He,  who  loves  his 
own  opinions  because  they  are  his,  or  is  greatly 
attached  to  views  which  are  of  high  esteem  in  his 
sect  or  party  because  they  are  a  Shibboleth,  is  a  can- 
didate for  shame  and  error.  Without  strong  love 
for  the  truth,  no  man  has  ever  made  any  considera- 
ble progress  in  knowledge.  It  is  indispensable. 
Nothing  can  compensate  for  the  want  of  it.  It  has 
been  a  prominent  trait  of  every  good  man's  character. 
Job  says :  *  *  I  have  esteemed  the  word  of  his  mouth 
more  than  my  necessary  food."  David  says:  "My 
soul  breaketh  for  the  longing  it  hath  unto  thy  com- 
mandments at  all  times."  "How  sweet  are  thy 
words  unto  my  taste  J  yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to 
my  mouth."  "I  love  thy  commandments  above 
gold,  yea,  above  fine  gold."  Solomon  says: 
"Buy  the  truth  and  sell  it  not."  "If  thou  criest 
after  knowledge,  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  under- 
standing ;  if  thou  seekest  her  as  silver,  and  search- 
est  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures ;  then  shalt  thou  un- 
derstand the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  know- 
ledge of  God."  =  Peter  says:  "As  new  born  babes, 
desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may 
grow  thereby."  The  love  of  truth  is  a  sure  pledge 
that  God  will  bless  and  guide  us  in  our  quest  after 
stores  of  knowledge.  When  one  is  ready  to  "re- 
ceive the  engrafted  word  with  meekness,"  then  it  is 
both  easy  and  pleasant  to  teach  him.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  pleasing  characteristics  of  those  who 
have   been  recently  and  thoroughly  regenerated. 


A    STUDENT    OF     THE    BIBLE.  327 

Genuine  young  converts  greatly  love  the  truth.  It 
is  their  chief  qualification  for  advancing  in  discov- 
eries of  the  way  of  life  and  the  rule  of  duty. 

Another  state  of  heart  very  important  to  every 
learner  is  patience,  producing  caution  and  delibera- 
tion. A  hasty  spirit  is  wholly  unfriendly  to  sound 
learning.  The  minds  of  many  rush  with  impetu- 
osity toward  conclusions.  They  seem  to  be  impa- 
tient of  all  delay,  or  to  regard  it  as  a  derogation 
from  their  just  estimate  of  themselves  to  ask  them 
to  tarry  long  in  the  premises  of  any  subject.  Yet 
observation  shows  that  conclusions  hastily  adopted, 
are  often  as  hastily  abandoned.  Even  it*  we  reach 
the  truth,  but  in  a  rash  manner,  it  can  hardly  be 
as  a  pillar  of  beautiful  proportions  in  our  thoughts, 
nor  can  we  be  half  so  sure  that  it  is  truth  to  be 
relied  on  in  all  exigencies,  as  if  wTe  had  reached  it 
by  more  careful  steps.  Let  reasonable  doubts  pro- 
duce uncertainty,  and  let  us  suspend  our  judgments, 
until  time  has  been  given  for  further  prayer  and  in- 
vestigation. Such  a  habit  may  leave  us  for  a  while 
unsettled  about  some  matters  of  great  interest. 
Very  well.  Jesus  said  :  "  What  thou  knowest  not 
now,  thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  And  Faul  said: 
"We  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part.  But 
when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that 
which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away." 

In  all  lawful  pursuits  a  spirit  of  diligence  is  of 
great  importance.  Thus  spake  God  of  old:  "The 
book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth : 
hut  thou  shall  meditate  therein  day  and  night,  that 
thou  mavest  observe  to  do  according  to  all  that  is 


328  THE    RIGHT    TEMPER   FOR 

i 

written  therein :  for  then  shalt  thou  make  thy  way 
prosperous,  and  then  thou  shalt  have  good  success." 
The  Bereans  are  commended  because  they  searched 
the  Scriptures  daily.  The  great  law  of  acquisition 
in  knowledge  is,  a  little  at  a  time  and  often  repeated, 
"  The  hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich."  Pious 
men  of  old  have  set  us  a  good  example  in  this  res- 
pect. One  says,  "  0  how  love  I  thy  law  1  It  is  my 
meditation  all  the  day." 

" Meditation,  to  the  book  of  revelation,  is  like 
the  microscope  to  the  book  of  nature ;  it  is  sure  to 
discover  new  beauties."  Many  a  difficulty  is  cleared 
up  by  diligence,  while  the  slothful  finds  himself 
daily  plunged  into  greater  embarrassment  on  many 
points.  Are  not  learners  of  all  degrees  of  culture 
ofien  tempted  to  think  too  high  a  price,  in  the  way 
of  diligence,  toil  and  hardship,  is  exacted  of  them  ? 
But  the  fact  is  that  after  all  that  is  done  to  arouse 
them  many  are  but  half  awake.  Let  him  who 
would  have  religious  truth  dwell  in  him  richly  spare 
no  pains,  but  maintain  severe  habits  of  thought  and 
inquiry,  denying  himself  allluxuriousnessand  effemi- 
nacy, and  subjecting  all  his  powers  to  a  wholesome 
discipline. 

It  is  no  less  true  that  genuine  lixebj  faith  in  the 
divine  testimony  is  essential  to  large  success  in  any 
student  of  the  Bible,  otherwise  the  mind  will  all  the 
time  be  feeding  on  forms  and  losing  the  substance ; 
it  will  be  gathering  shells  and  losing  the  kernels  of 
things.  We  must  "walk  by  faith."  In  proportion 
as  any  human  character  has  shone  illustriously,  it  has 
been  remarkable  for  freedom  from  blind  credulity 
28* 


A   STUDENT   OF    THE   BIBLE.  329 

on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  from  carping 
scepticism.  There  never  was  a  truly  great,  nor  any 
safe  mind,  that  believed  without  evidence,  or  refused 
to  believe  upon  sufficient  evidence.  One  of  the 
greatest  perils  in  the  way  of  any  student  of  religious 
truth  is  just  here.  The  principle  of  faith  is  as 
easily  vindicated  as  any  other  principle  of  our  na- 
ture. The  right  exercise  of  it  is  a  solemn  duty  en- 
joined by  God  in  many  ways.  He,  who  docs  not 
firmly  believe  and  hold  what  he  has  learned  of 
divine  truth,  will  be  like  a  wave  of  the  sea,  tossed 
to  and  fro,  a  poor  unstable  thing. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  every  man  that 
he  maintain  habits  of  just  moderation  in  his  judg- 
ments of  divine  things.  He,  whose  mind  is  fond  of 
rank  extremes,  and  who  believes  that  repulsiveness 
is  a  mark  of  truth,  will  pretty  certainly  hold  and 
teach  error.  I  am  free  to  say  that  any  view  of 
divine  truth,  which  disinclines  those,  who  abound 
in  godly  fear  and  humbleness  of  mind,  to  admire 
and  adore,  is  not  safe  or  true.  Even  the  grand  and 
awful  doctrine  of  the  divine  sovereignty,  when  rightly 
viewed,  is  well  suited  to  beget  thanksgiving  and 
adoration,  as  we  learn  from  that  saying  of  our  Sa- 
viour— Matt,  xxi :   15,  16 ;  Luke  x  :  21. 

If  one  would  become  mighty  in  the  Scriptures 
and  rich  in  the  truth,  he  must  have  the  spirit  and 
delight  in  the  duty  of  prayer.  No  act  that  man 
can  perform  is  more  capable  of  full  vindication  before 
the  bar  of  reason  than  that  he  should  pray  for 
divine  illumination.  His  intellectual  dependence 
on  God  is  absolute.      Left  to  himself,    he  must 


330 


THE    RIGHT    TEMPER   FOR 


fatally  err.     How  often  did  David  cry,   "Teach  me 
thy  statutes ;"  "Open  thou  mine  eyes  that  I  may 
behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law ;"   "  Give  me 
understanding;"  "Incline  my  heart  unto  thy  testi- 
monies." The  pious   Thomas  Boston  thus  lets  us 
into  the  secret  of  much  of  his  success  in  his  studies: 
"I  spread  the  Hebrew  Bible  before  God,  and  cried 
to  the  Father,  that,  for  the  sake  of  his  Son,  he 
would  by  the  Spirit  shine  on  it,  into  me,  give  light 
into,  and  discover  his  mind  in  the  word;    that  he 
would  give  me  life,  health,  strength,  time  and  in- 
clination to  the  study,  and  a  blessing  thereon ;  that 
he  would  teach  me  how  to  manage  that  work,  and 
would  pity  me  as  to  sleep,  having  been  somewhat 
bereaved  of  sleep  since  I  was  determined  to  that 
work."     "If  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of 
God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth 
not."     Even  great  poets  often  open  their  works  by 
crying  for  help  from  God.     Thus  Milton  says  : 

"And  chiefly  thou,  O  Spirit,  that  dost  prefer 

Before  all  temples  the  upright  heart  and  pure, 

Instruct  me,  for  thou  know'st.     ,     .    . 

.     .     •     •     What  in  me  is  dark, 

Illumine;  what  is    low,  raise  and  support." 

From  the  life  of  the  venerable  Thomas  Scott  it 
appears  that  over  every  passage  of  Scripture  he  lias 
lifted  up  his  heart  in  prayer.  The  result  is  a  very 
remarkable  commentary,  which  has  been  read  with 
profit  by  millions  of  people.  McCheyne  says  : 
"  Turn  the  Bible  into  prayer.  Thus,  if  you  are 
reading  the  first  Psalm,  spread  the  Bible  on  the 
chair  before  you,  and  kneel  and  pray,  <0  Lord, 
give  me  the  blessedness  of  the  man  that  walkcth 


A   STUDENT   OF  THE    BIBLE.  331 

not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly.  Let  me  not 
stand  in  the  way  of  sinners.  Let  me  not  sit  in  the 
seat  of  the  scornful.'  This  is  the  best  way  of  learn- 
ing the  meaning  of  the  Bible,  and  of  learning  to 
pray." 

In  prayer  be  not  faithless  but  believing.  ?  \  The 
breath  of  prayer  comes  from  the  life  of  faith." 
Let  your  prayer  for  light  and  teaching  be  fervent. 
4 '  God  hears  the  heart  without  words ;  but  he  never 
hears  words  without  the  heart."  "Never  expect  to 
go  to  the  throne  of  grace  without  having  some 
stumbling  block  thrown  in  your  way ;  Satan  hates 
prayer,  and  always  tries  to  hinder  it." 

Bishop  Hall,  who  made  such  progress  in  the 
knowledge  of  divine  things,  tells  us  how  he  gained 
by  prayer : 

"After  some  whiles  meditation,  I  walk  up  to  my 
masters  and  companions,  my  books;  and  sitting 
down  amongst  them  with  the  best  contentment,  I 
dare  not  reach  forth  my  hand  to  salute  any  of  them, 
till  I  have  first  looked  up  to  heaven,  and  craved 
favor  of  him  to  whom  all  my  studies  are  duly  re- 
ferred ;  without  whom  I  can  neither  profit  nor  labor. 
After  this,  after  no  over  great  vanity,  I  call  forth 
those  which  may  best  fit  my  occasions,  wherein  I 
am  not  too  scrupulous  of  age;  sometimes  I  put 
myself  to  school  to  one  of  these  ancients,  whom 
the  Church  hath  honored  with  the  name  of  fathers ; 
whose  volumes  I  confess  not  to  open  without  a 
secret  reverence  of  their  holiness  and  gravity; 
sometimes  to  their  later  doctors,  which  want  noth- 
ing but  age  to  make  them  classical ;  always  to  God's 


332  THE    RIGHT   TEMPER   FOR 

! 

book: — that  clay  is  lost,  whereof  some  hour3  are 

not  improved  in  those  divine  monuments ;  others  I 

turn  over  out  of  choice — -these  out  of  duty.'1 

Let  no   man   forget  that   religious   truth  is  not 
merely  to  fill  a  niche  in  his  system,  nor  to  furnish 
the   means  of    entertainment   to   himself   and   his 
friends.     It  is  all  intended  for  practice.      It  must 
first  be  proposed  to  our  minds,  then  loved,  embraced, 
and   finally  reduced  to  practice.      Practice  makes 
sure  our  knowledge  in  a  way  that  nothing  else  does. 
This  is  true  in  the  exact  sciences  and  in  the  useful 
and  ornamental  arts ;  above  all  is  it  true  in  regard 
to  divine  things.     A  malicious  mind  cannot  be  ex- 
pected to  make  rapid  progress  in  an  understanding 
of   the   boundless  mysteries  of  love.      A  worldly 
mind  is  ill  suited  to  scan  the  glories  of  spiritual 
things.     Practice  is  not  only  the  life  of  piety,  but 
it  is  essential  to  any  sure  progress  in  wisdom.     There 
is  no  greater  folly   than   that  which  stalks  to   hell 
with  the  lamp  of  truth  burning  before  it  all   the 
time.     Well  did  David  say,   "I  will  keep  thy  stat- 
utes."     And  Jesus    Christ   has  informed   us   that 
practice  has  much  to  do  with  progress  in  learning, 
when  he  says;    "If   any  man  will  do  his  will,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God.'' 
That  is  a  truth  illustrated  in  the  life  and  experience 
of  every  converted  man.      The  apostle  James  also 
says:    "Be  ye  doers  of  the  word  and  not  hearers 
only,  deceiving  your  own  selves.     For  if  a  man  be 
a  hearer  of  the  word,  and  not  a  doer,  he  is  like 
unto  a  man  beholding  his  natural  face  in  a  glass: 
for  he  bcholdcth  himself,  and  goeth  his  way,  and 


A   STUDENT   OF  THE   BIBLE.  333 

straightway  forgettcth  what  manner  of  man  he  was. 
But  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty, 
and  continueth  therein,  he  being  not  a  forgetful 
hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work,  this  man  shall  be 
blessed  in  his  deed."  How  can  he  understand  the 
place  charity  should  occupy  in  a  system  of  practical 
truth,  who  carries  grudges  and  old  hatred  in  his 
bosom  ?  How  can  he  know  the  connexion  between 
Christ's  poverty  and  our  riches,  whose  soul  is  never 
drawn  out  to  the  needy,  but  trusts  in  uncertain 
riches  ? 

Of  course  the  whole  spirit  and  temper  of  every 
learner  of  divine  truth  should  be  evangelical.  A 
mere  legalist  is  as  wide  of  the  truth,  as  he  is  far 
from  holy  living.  If  Jesus  Christ  is  not  the  Alpha 
and  the  Omega  of  our  theological  system,  it  matters 
little  what  else  is  in  it.  A  "  Christless  Christianity" 
is  as  false  in  theory  as  it  is  powerless  in  practice. 


II        ■ 


t  >.H  EKV 


,  .    ,■    .,,.,     -..       .    .,.-,■    y    ,      ,    ;-'.,■         •■ 


